


Not What I Planned

by ThePhoenixofHumanity



Category: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Breeding, Depression, Dubious Consent, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Multi, Multiple Pairings, Multiple Partners, Nesting, Polyamory, Suicide Attempt, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-01-06 08:47:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 176,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12207834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePhoenixofHumanity/pseuds/ThePhoenixofHumanity
Summary: When I was younger and discovered that I was an omega, my plan was simple. Find an alpha or a beta and fall in love. Give them children and not have to worry about getting jumped by other alphas once I was claimed. Spend the rest of my life with them, raising our children. Not have to worry about everything.And as my beta, Alex was my everything. He was part of the plan. Since I met him, everything was going the way I wanted.Losing him in a car crash wasn't planned.My daughter being a unique alpha wasn't planned.Moving to a cul-de-sac filled with available alphas wasn't planned.All these feelings, all this confusion, everything that happened after Alex's death wasn't planned. It was supposed to go my way. It was supposed to follow a plan.But not everything does.





	1. Plans Go Awry

**Author's Note:**

> Alphas: Craig, Joseph, Brian, Robert, Mat, Hugo, Damien, Val, Amanda, River  
> Betas: Mary, Lucien, Hazel, Carmensita, Daisy, Alex, Noah  
> Omegas: Danny, Ernest, Briar, Chris, Christian, Cristie, Crish, Emma (s)  
> Cans and Can'ts (provided by omgeaverse-headcannons on tumblr): Male and female alphas can impregnate, but cannot be impregnated. Male betas can impregnate, but cannot be impregnated. Female betas cannot impregnate, but can be impregnated. Male and female omegas cannot impregnate, but can be impregnated  
> Dadsona Character Danny: https://thephoenixofhumanity.tumblr.com/post/163761052193/this-is-my-dadsona-im-leaving-him-here-because

When I was six years old, I found out I was an omega.

Sometimes, it's just something that your parents discover at birth, but that's not very common. For me, I was a _very_ uncommon case; I didn't give off a scent until I was six, so that was when I finally was able to get tested. My parents knew I was special, sow when they found out, they were...they didn't really react. My mom was an omega and my dad was an alpha, so they knew it was possible for me to be either, or even a beta. But when they results came back that I was an omega, they didn't say anything much. Except, they did always walk me home or pick me up from school once I started hitting puberty. They were scared something would happened or that I would get used when heat started striking people. They didn't even let me go down the street to the store for milk or something simple. Everywhere I went from when I was six all the way until I was eighteen, my parents went with me. Maybe it was because I was so special, or maybe it was because of what happened to my mom. Regardless, you can probably tell that getting shadowed by my parents every waking moment I went outside got annoying.

When I was off to college, not only did I choose a college far away from the city that I grew up, but I went out wherever I wanted, when I wanted. They tearfully gave me a nice little care package that had everything they thought I would need, plus suppressants, in it, with a nice little note that made me swear that I would take them regularly. But me being what I assumed was an independent college kid who could do what I want, I flushed them down the toilet as soon as they left the room. I didn't need suppressants and I could handle myself. Even though my roommate was an alpha, he could probably find someone to take care of his heat with. If he happened to decide we could work with each other during heat, then that was fine to. And that did end up happening because neither of us had experience a powerful heat like the one we were hit with halfway through the semester, we agreed that we wouldn't claim one another and just help each other through it. And it worked; we were the best of friends who would sometimes have sex. It didn't change our relationship.

Still, just because I was an omega didn't mean I was just going to let someone claim me. No, they'd have to earn me. Whether they were a beta or an alpha, it wasn't about mating and thinking you could just claim a nice piece of ass, it was about love and trust. And back when I was six, I made plans. Being an omega meant that I couldn't impregnate anyone, but that I'd be the pregnant one. It scared me as a child, the very thought of carrying life, but my parents assured me that it would be beautiful. It didn't stop me from making plans so that I didn't end up like them.

My plans included love. Whoever wanted me as their mate had to get to know me first, and love me like I would love them. It didn't matter who they were, alpha or beta, but I wanted love. When I found that, truly found that, then we could get married and do the whole...kids thing. I never really thought about kids too much because I was still scared, but I knew it was still going to happen eventually. And whoever my mate was, they'd get them once they proved they were good for me. After that came raising those kids, probably adding a few more along the way. We'd raise them, watch them become adults, and guide them when they needed it. Once they were grown and starting their own families, all I wanted afterwards was happiness.

When I met Alex, I knew the first part of my plan had come through. I was falling in love. 

Alex was my everything. I met him at a temp agency when I was twenty-three; he was my boss and I was just trying to float on my own in a new city. I didn't like him at first, too focused on trying to improve in my own work, but he was persistent, to the point where we'd meet up too many times to be coincidence. It turned into him flirting with me until I flirted back, and then going on a few dates, which turned into frequently meeting for dinner, which turned into a lasting relationship with my beta, someone I cherished with all my heart. We moved in together after seven months of dating, already thinking about our future together, with three dogs (I loved dogs), a house in a quiet neighborhood, and at least ten kids (Alex wanted a huge family) Three years after we moved in, we were married, and I couldn't be any happier. Alex loved me and I loved him with all my heart. I wanted to give him that huge family. Two years after we were married, I had Amanda, or beautiful little girl.

Alex was the happiest man alive during my pregnancy. It was rough because Amanda was an active baby, and a big one at that, but Alex was with me throughout it all. He made it easier to go through. When I was with him, I forgot about how much pain I was in, and the pregnancy was a good one. He would give me massages when my back or feet would hurt, bring me whatever food I was craving, and just be  _there._ Amanda's delivery was easy, and even though there was a...complication before we got to the hospital, I still panicked. But Alex made it all okay. He said we were going to be okay. And I believed him. We _were_ going to be okay. Not just because Alex said it, but because I believed it. I believed we were going to be okay.

I was wrong.

As a kid, I didn't learn that not everything went the way you wanted it to. Rather, I stubbornly thought that once it was set in motion, your plans don't change. If I could go back in time and tell myself that years ago, maybe it would've helped. It would've made it easier for me to accept the fact that sometimes, you can't have it your way. There are some things that are unforeseen, that you can't plan for. And you have to try and move on.

After all, it's not easy losing your spouse in a car crash.

Alex swore he'd come back. He just had to head into town to get a package, something he ordered for me online because I deserved it for being so good to him (his words, not mine). He swore he'd be back before long; he was just going up the road. So I waited. I waited for an hour before I got worried and called him. No answer, but he didn't use his phone while he was driving, so maybe he was just focused. So I waited another fifteen minutes and called again. No answer. I panicked, because at this point, he would've been at the post office by now. Another hour, and still nothing from him. No text or anything. I called and called and called, growing deathly terrified that something really bad had happened to him and prevented him from answering me. But still nothing. It was four hours since Alex had left and I was scared for his life. I called one more time, and was relieved when I heard a voice on the other end.

But it wasn't Alex. Some voice on the other end told me that Alex had been in a bad crash. They said they managed to recover a body from the wreckage, but it was difficult to identify. They told me to go to the hospital because Alex was in critical condition and needed immediate medical attention, but he might not survive. I rushed to the hospital, praying that Alex would be okay. He said we'd be okay. He swore on everything he loved that we'd be okay.

_"Time of death: 6:42 PM"_

But I wasn't. We weren't.

My love, my Alex my husband, my beta...was gone.

* * *

"Dad."

I look up from photos and see Amanda staring at me. She looks worried, and from the looks of things, she had been calling me a few times. I must've been so lost in memories that I didn't hear her. I really didn't want her to worry about me, but I knew she would. I hadn't been the same since he died, and she tried her damnest to make me feel better. It usually worked, but she shouldn't have to worry about her old man all the time.

"Are you alright?"

"No," I answer honestly. I've gotten to the point where I don't lie to her when it comes to her father. "I was just...thinking."

"About _him?_ " Amanda doesn't need to look at the photo to know who I'm talking about. She knows just from my form alone. She tries to be happy around me, but I know she misses him too.

"I miss him." Even though it's been this long, I still miss my husband. I still miss Alex after so long. 

"So do I." Amanda seals the box she's sitting in front of and pushes it aside. She comes over to me and gives me a hug, eyes on the photo in my hands. It's Alex and I in our garden. There are fruits behind him slowly growing in and he's smiling down at me, wearing a floppy hat and overalls. I have my arm around him, the other holding the camera to document the moment. Covered in mud, Amanda sits in a patch of dirt, giggling at something, I can't remember what it was. This picture...it affected me because of the weight it carried. It was one of the last photos I ever took with Alex. The last time I saw his smile. It was two days before he went to get that stupid package for me.

I can feel tears coming to my eyes once more. His last act had been for me, to give me something for always being there. And now he was gone.

"C'mon Pops!" Amanda suddenly jumps up and picks up a box. "The van's gonna leave soon! We gotta go!"

Even though I can detect a hint of sadness, Amanda still tries to be cheerful. I crack a smile, putting the photo away and sealing the last box shut. I'm going to miss this house and all the memories we've made here, but it's too expensive to keep this house, and it's too big. It's just going to be Amanda and I, and with her heading to college soon, it'll just be me. So we need a place smaller, and a new start. It's getting a little dangerous around here anyways...

I take one last look around the house and walk out the door. Maybe this new place will be better for the both of us...

* * *

"So..."

We're an hour into our drive to the new neighborhood when Amanda breaks the silence. She turns down the radio and turns a bit in her seat. "I didn't see your pills anywhere."

I gulp. I didn't want to talk about this right now. 

Amanda knew at a young age that I started taking suppressants after Alex died, an unhealthy amount that almost killed me. I didn't want to go into heat after his death, nor did I want to cause anyone to rut, because I felt dirty if some alpha or beta just came by during heat and just...took me. I constantly hear cases of omegas not getting claimed, but used in alleyways or bathrooms or just on the street. I didn't want that to happen to me, so I took the pills to keep alphas and betas at bay. It was unhealthy and it would only make it worse when I finally stopped. But I couldn't stop taking them. If I did, alphas would jump me left and right. "I need them Amanda."

"No you don't. You promised that you'd at least try to meet someone. Without them." I can feel her gaze boring into me even though I'm focused on the road. "I almost lost you once because of them. I don't want it to happen again."

I know this. I was admitted to the hospital before due to the unhealthy amount of suppressants I took. I was in a really bad place, so bad that I thought I could get rid of my heat forever. I hadn't once gone into heat, taking double the prescribed amount so that no hint of my scent came out. A little would shine through, but not enough for Alphas or Betas to know what was wrong. But my body needed to go into heat, and preventing it made me sick to the point that my body temperature skyrocketed and I almost died one night. Amanda was devastated that I had done that to myself, and took it upon herself to make me stop. She'd watch my every move and kept hiding my pills for the next six months after that. She made me swear that I wouldn't take them, but I still needed them (at least, I thought I did). So I compromised that I would only take half the prescribed amount. Amanda had been too young to know what addiction was, so she let it slide, but as she got older, she kept a closer eye on me so that I never did that again.

"Its alright," I tell her. "I...at this point I need a stronger prescription, but they're so expensive that I can't afford them anymore. So...I either have to use the last of what I have, or go without." And I only have five pills left. Not enough to help me through a whole week. And especially not if we move to an alpha populated area. And since I'd gone without heat for so long, I was probably going to reek once heat came around. I could only hope that many of the alphas already had mates so I would be ignored. I'm just really scared. Last I checked, my heat was starting around the same time mating season was due this year. I didn't want to get caught out there.

"So, you aren't using them anymore? You threw them out?" She sounds hopeful.

"Yes." No. I still had the pills, just wrapped in a little napkin in my pocket. But Amanda didn't need to know that. She'd get mad at me, and I hate it when she's mad at me. I'm all she has left. My parents died, I lost contact with my cousins a while ago, and some of my aunts and uncles are homophobic so they didn't speak to me after I got married. Amanda barely got to know her grandparents and with the rest of my family the way they are, she wouldn't know them very well. If she ever got mad at me and refused to contact me, I'd have no one left. "They're gone."

"Good." She grinned at me, giving a little wink. "Don't worry. I'll protect you from any Alpha that tries to force themselves on you."

Yeah. She's been doing that since Alex died.

Amanda was an Alpha, one with very high pheromones. Alex and I found out about this when she was very young; when she was born, her scent was so strong that the entire _floor_ was overwhelmed with her scent. Doctors told us that whoever she was around would be weak in the knees and almost  _want_ to submit to her very desires. But she refused to acknowledge anyone who came to her, instead making sure we were alright. When Alex died, she used her influence as an Alpha to scare other Alphas away, just in case they just wanted something quick. She refused to let that happen and often steered me towards home or tried to fight the other Alphas. I appreciated what she did for me, but I knew it wouldn't last for long. She was going to go to college soon and I'd have to do this alone.

I really didn't want to think about that.

"So...the new place. Sell me on it Pops. What's the deal with it. Better yet, what's  _wrong_ with it?"

I brake at the sop-light and turn to Amanda. "Parallel parking is the only parking!"

Amanda pretends to scream in pure terror. "No! Not parallel parking! We can't move there, we can't!"

I laugh manically. "Everywhere! And you'll have to learn how to do it!"

Amanda pouts. "Are you for real Pops?"

"Amanda..." I know how much she hates it, but it's gotta be done. She's gotta learn how to do it one day.

"I mean, walking is healthy, isn't it? I don't have to drive everywhere."

" _Amanda_..."

"I've been meaning to lose weight too. I've chubbed up. Look at my tummy." She begins squishing her stomach and making fart noises.

"Amanda, parallel parking won't kill you. It's easy once you get the hang of it. I promise you'll do fine." I try to soothe her fears, but Amanda shakes her head. I sigh. We'll get to it eventually. "In all seriousness, the new place is beautiful. It's closer to your school, it has a nice mall nearby, and we're by the ocean. Even though I hate the ocean, there's a lot of positives about it. Or so I've read." I shrug. "Regardless, it's got more positives than negatives." And it's fairly equal in terms of alphas, betas, or omegas. At least, once again, that's what I've read.

"Sweet!" Amanda cheers, and I'm pretty sure it's because of the whole 'mall' thing. "Let's hit the mall!"

I knew it.

"Not so fast. We still have work to do. We have to forge a path through the solid wall of boxes that's blocking the living. Then I still have to install the washer and dryer, find a decent supermarket and go grocery shopping-"

"Pops, cool your jets. You have to promise me that we're gonna take a break and explore the neighborhood. You can't trust everything you read on the internet."

"Hey! I did visit a couple times!" Maybe about three or four, but I still did it. "But fine. We'll get some work done and then check the area out." I at least owe her that. She's not the type to stay in the house all the time. She's adventurous, much like Alex was. It'd be a crime to keep her locked up when I'm the one afraid of alphas.

* * *

 We pull up to the new house and step outside. The lawn is bright green and freshly mowed and the 'FOR SALE' sign is still in the yard. 

"HI-YAH!"

Well. It was. But with a swift kick from Amanda, the 'FOR SALE' sign is no more. It actually eases my mind a bit seeing her breaking things. I don't have to worry about anything with how strong he is. "Nice form, sweet pea."

"I GOT A PROBLEM WITH AUTHORITY!"

I'm so proud.

Amanda sighs. "Man, all that karate chopping tuckered me out. I could really go for a sandwich. An ice cream sandwich," she elaborates, giddy with excitement.

"Sweetie...it's 10 A.M. I gotta get my hands on a nice hot cup of the 'ol bean juice or I'm gonna be useless all day." I'm an absolute coffee addict. And since I didn't have anything this morning since I woke up  _really_ early to get the rest of our stuff packed so I had no caffeine in my system. I needed my junk and I needed it desperately!

"I think we passed a coffee shop on the way here. We can go check it out."

Once again, I'm so proud. My baby girl, remembering all the important areas. "Let's do it!"

* * *

I'm immediately on edge as we walk down the street to The Coffee Spoon, which was a cute little place on the corner. I knew that I reeked; I could easily point out the omegas and betas, the omegas giving me small smiles while the betas keep an eye on me. They don't look hungry and some of them smell normal, so they're either already claimed or they aren't paying much mind to me. Which is good. I checked the calendar on my phone and I knew it was close to another mating season. I did not need that right now.

The alphas are easier to spot.

Hungry gazes tear into my body with every step. I feel like running back home, but I have neither the stamina nor courage to open myself for chase; alphas are very animalistic close to heat and might actually engage in chase with me, and I'd be taken down the minute I took a step. I'm not at peak physical fitness so I would be an easy catch. Alphas all over are looking at me, men and women alike, and they all look like they're ready for a chase. Maybe we should've stayed home to unpack; these alphas wouldn't be keyed into my scent that way and would leave me alone. But coffee...

"Man, this is in such convenient walking distance from our place," Amanda says, breaking me from my thoughts.

"I mean, I guess."

Amanda frowns. "What's wrong? Is it the alphas?" She looks like she's ready to attack everyone on the street, and I don't need a brawl to start either.

"No. It's just...why would I go somewhere else and drink coffee on a couch when I could just drink better coffee at home on my own couch and not have to make awkward eye contact with other people? At least when I'm home some random guy isn't gonna come up and sit on the recliner next to me and I won't feel, like, a little weird about it because technically he's not sitting at m table but he is very much within my Personal Space."

Amanda already looks exasperated with me. " _Dad."_

I can't help it. I'm very paranoid when we're out in public. "And what's the etiquette when you have a dirty mug? Is there a bin? Do you go set it up on the counter because you don't know where else to put it? Or do you leave it there and feel your face flush hot with shame as you consider the possibility that there is in a fact a bin somewhere just out of sight and now you're That Jerk Who Left Their Mug?"

Amanda shakes her head and puts her hands on her hips. "Dad...are you just afraid to meet new people?"

"YES AMANDA." People can be cruel sometimes and I don't want them looking down at me for being the Mug Jerk.

Amanda stops at the door and looked at me seriously. "Dad, relax. I'll make sure no alpha just jumps you. If you really  _want_ to meet one, then I won't stand in the way. And please  _try_ to meet someone. I know you're lonely, and while I'm not saying you should forget Papa, he would've wanted you to be happy." With that, she opens the door and walks inside. With no other choice, I walk inside after her.

The inside of the coffee shop is incredibly warm and inviting. Vinyl records line the walls and patrons lounge around on well-worn-in couches. Some cool tines spin on a record player next to a little stage. It would've been comforting, but it was filled with alphas milling around. When I set up to the counter, I feel more gazes on me, and realize that it reeks of alpha in here. 

And they're all looking at me.

"Welcome to the Coffee Spoon, guys! How's it going?"

My mouth goes dry. Whoever the barista is, he's  _very_ attractive. And he smells  _really_ good. Then I realize that I'm probably very creepy for staring and sniffing so I look past him to the menu. I quickly look at his nametag, seeing 'Mat' written in bold ink. His presence isn't overwhelming at all; in fact, though I can tell he's an alpha, he doesn't give it off. Weird.

"What's with the name?" Amanda asks. I'm pretty curious about it too. It's actually a really cute name.

The barista smiles nervously. "Oh it's uh...it's kinda dumb," he admits. "It gets mentioned in this poem  like, and I thought it was a good idea at the time, and I suppose now it's still a good idea because like, the business is still running?"

He's rambling. It makes him seem as awkward as I am about meeting people.

"But people ask me that question all the time and I give the this same answer every time and now I'm standing here rambling and I'm sure we're getting more and more uncomfortable the more I keep talking but man we're in it now and I can't stop." He goes silent, crossing his arms and staring away for a moment before turning back to us and giving a shy smile. "So, what'll it be?"

Even though I was looking at the menu, I have one thing and one thing on my mind: my fix. "Chai Antwoord." From the description on the menu board, it sounds exactly like what I need right now.

He chuckles. The sound vibrates through my chest and I pull my jacket around me tighter as I shiver. "Spicy."

"Excuse me?" Was he already hitting on me?

He blushes. "Oh, it's actually a pun. Die Antwoord is a South African rap group...they're pretty well known for their...uh, evocative imagery and hyper-stylized music videos. Their music is as catchy as it is disturbing." He realizes what he just did and looks away again. "I'm doing the thing again, aren't I? Just, ignore that." He turns to Amanda. "And for you."

Amanda doesn't hesitate. "I'll have a Macchiato DeMarco, please."

"Coming right up! Do you want that in Small, Medium or Biggie Smalls?" He looks between the both of us.

"Uh..." Do I really need a large dose of caffeine right now? I don't want to get too excited and then crash and sleep for twelve hours. "Medium...yeah. A medium."

"Wait, is Biggie Smalls big or small?"

That's a very good question. I can appreciate the pun behind it, but it is a bit confusing. One would think it would be the largest size, but then what does the Smalls imply?

"Uh..." he thinks for only a moment. "I should change that, shouldn't I?" Instead of waiting for an answer, Mat sets to making our drinks and Amanda and I take a seat on one of the couches. The alphas watch my every move, so I scoot a bit closer Amanda for safety. She doesn't seem to notice, looking at all the vinyl and wrinkling her nose when she doesn't recognize any of the artists.

"What's his deal?" I ask, shooting a glance at Mat, who seemed much more relaxed around the machinery then he did us.

"Let the man make his puns. They're cooler bands than you listen to anyway." She gestures to all the vinyls on the walls. I can't help but notice how many of them are incorporated into different drinks.

How dare she. "Hey. HEY. Ska was cool once." I sink into the couch, which is surprisingly comfy. Maybe not comfier than our couch, but it's alright. Good lumbar support. You sink right into it...

Okay, it's comfier than our couch.

Amanda nudges me and gestures to Mat. "This place is right next to our house and that guy seems not only cool but also just as comfortable with talking to other people as you are. And he's an alpha, but he doesn't look like he'd jump someone immediately. You should totally become friends with him."

She's playing matchmaker again. "Uh...I don't know..."

"C'mon, what'd we say about meeting new people?"

"I can't meet new people if I always stay inside and also don't go outside and don't talk to people," I recite.

"See? We're making progress. Relax Pops. We'll be okay."

The way she says it sounds so much like Alex and I can't help but believe her.

Next thing I know, Mat sets our drinks down at our table and I immediately burn the roof of my mouth to stop myself from saying something stupid. I'm hit with his scent first, then the scent of my coffee. Good one Danny.

Amanda picks up her drink and smiles up at Mat. "Hi! We're new in the neighborhood! I'm Amanda and this is my Dad, Danny."

"Oh right on! Pleased to meet you both!" He shakes Amanda's hand, and holds it out to meet. I carefully shake, feeling a strong grip that definitely betrays his overall disposition. He meets my eyes for a moment and underneath his kind expression, I see the hunger. It's barely there, and I really have to look for it, but it's there. However, he masks it before I can look to deep and releases my hand, turning back to Amanda. "You oughta come by when my daughter's hanging around the shop. You two might get along."

"Yeah," I find myself saying. "I'm sure we'll maybe come in from time to time."

Amanda kicks my leg from under the table. It takes everything in me not to jump. "I'm sure we'll be in here a lot."

"You know what?" Mat looks back at the kitchen and then to us. "Lemme get yours guys opinion on something."

Mat goes into the back and comes out with a fresh plate of something that smells amazing. Even better than he does.

No Danny! Bad thoughts! For a minute, I consider taking a pill, but then everyone would know that I did because as strong as my scent is getting, for it to gradually dim would mean that something happened. I decide not to, knowing that I can't rely on them. But mating season is around the corner and I need to find a way to deal with it. Amanda is wary of me going through my first heat without my suppressants, and so am I, but it's going to happen and there's nothing I can do about it.

"I'm working on a new banana bread recipe and I need help coming up with a name for it," Mat explains as he sets the tray on the table.

I'm holding myself back from burning my fingers and my mouth again. It smells  _really_ good. But being a pig would just be plain rude. "Well, I think we're gonna have to taste test it first so we can uh...get the full flavor profile of...you know, and really appreciate the sensations of..." I don't even know what I'm saying anymore, I just wan banana bread dammit!

Amanda nods vigorously. She knows this game. "Yeah, we need to give that 'nana bread a taste if you want us doing free creative labor. I think that would be commensurate with...uh..." I don't know what she's saying anymore but I know I've taught her well. We have trained for this day. And various others.

Mat seems to follow our train of thought. "I was just gonna give you guys free banana bread anyway."

I nod. "Right. Yes. That."

Mat serves us each a piece. Amanda and I happily chow down.

"This is amazing!" Amanda finishes her piece in three bites.

Mat beams. "Thanks! the secret ingredient is bananas," he jokes. I'd laugh, but my mouth if full and I don't want to spray this delicious food everywhere. "So, any ideas? I'm stumped."

"Well, I think I might only be able to give you Dad Band puns, but I'll give it a shot."

Amanda shoots me a dirty look. What? It's what Dads do! If I don't make Dad puns, I've basically failed at Dad-ing.

I think for a moment. "How about...Banana Bread Kennedys? You know, like the punk band?"

"I thought you said you only knew Dad Band puns," he teases.

"I'm a hard Dad."

Amanda snorts.

"That...actually has a nice ring to it." Mat looks awed, like the answer had been alluding him for ages.

"Really?"

He nods, pulling out a little notepad and writing the name down. "Yeah. Banana Bread Kennedys. Strong decisions. That's art, baby."

I hold back a laugh.

Mat puts his notepad away and turns his head. It must be a nervous movement because he does it right before he starts rambling or feels awkward. "I wanted to say 'baby' because I thought it would sound cool but once I said it I realized that it just doesn't sound good coming out of my mouth and maybe I should just leave saying 'baby' to the professionals." He goes silent, blushing. "...enjoy your coffee!"

"Thanks, baby."

Mat's blush intensifies, though it's a bit hard to see on his skin. He covers up his embarrassment with another smile though, this one wider than the one's he's given us before. "See? It sounds good when you say it."

I wish I had sunglasses to cleverly put on and reply with a one-liner. I'm ready to give one, but a man across the way catches my eye. He sits by himself, brooding over a cup of coffee. Our eyes meet, just for a moment. The intensity of his stare scares me. He looks hungry, like he's got me in his sights. He wants to devour me whole, and if we weren't in this coffee shop with witnesses, he probably would. He licks his lips slowly, and I know it isn't because he's got coffee on them. It's a sign that he wants me. I can feel his presence begin to overtake me, a musky smell assaulting my nose. It covers the light, fresh scent that Mat gives off, and my knees feel weak. If I weren't sitting down, I would've stumbled and probably fell.

I hastily look away, hoping he didn't catch me staring. Who is that? I know he's an alpha, but does he live nearby? I hope not. I can already tell he likes to get what he wants, and with the scent he's giving off, he really wants me. There's something odd about his scent though...I can't place what it is.

I really hope I wasn't staring; I don't want him getting ideas.

Amanda and I finish out drinks. There  _is_ a place for mugs, so Amanda and I put them on the tray and turn to leave. As I pass by Mat, I see him staring at me, the same look that other man had. It unnerves me.

"Thanks for stopping in," he calls, though I know it's more directed towards me.

"Take care," I call back, wanting to get out of there as fast as I can.

It doesn't matter how nice Mat seemed; instinct was winning over and he'd want to claim me too.

* * *

Amanda stretches her arms above her head and sighs contentedly. "Okay, so now that we're full of caffeine...where to?"

I'm tempted to go home and unpack so that I can avoid all the looks, but it's a nice day and I have too much energy to be contained in the house. "Let's get some fresh air. Time to soak up all that vitamin D. Make our bones nice and strong."

Amanda grins. "Yeah, our skeletons are gonna get so strong they're gonna hop right out of our bodies and crush cars with their bony fingers."

I pretend to shiver. "Amanda, I already have an irrational fear that my skeleton will one day escape this flesh sack and run amok. Please don't encourage it." I watch too many horror movies for my own good.

She smiles sheepishly. She loves horror movies, while they always inspire irrational fears in me. "Right. Sorry. To the park!" She runs off.

"Amanda, the park is that way." I point in the other direction.

Amanda skids to a stop and turns on her heel, running the right way. "To the park!"

I lightly jog after her. She stops at a corner to wait for the signal to change, which gives me time to catch up. We stroll through the neighborhood and I can't believe how beautiful it is outside. Kids are playing in the street, the flowers are in bloom, and the faint smell of a nearby barbecue drifts through the air. Couples are walking with either their babies or their dogs, while older men and women are sitting on balconies listening to music or reading.

"This place is nice." Better than the pictures I saw online.

Amanda crosses her arms and narrows her eyes. "Too nice. I don't trust it."

"Good eye honey. You can never be too careful." We get closer to each other and suspiciously look around, eyeing everything in sight. No one is paying us any mind, probably figuring that we're playing around. "See that baby in that stroller over there? Government operative."

Amanda watches the stroller suspiciously while the mother pushing it giggles at us. "We're onto you, baby."

Her eyes suddenly harden and she  _snarls_ up at a woman watching us from a second story window. The woman, who I just noticed was staring at me, leans down and rests on the railing, her cleavage spilling out of her top. She winks down at me and smiles charmingly. I avert my gaze, grabbing Amanda's hand and pulling her away before a fight breaks out. But Amanda stands her ground and growls at the woman, who begun growling back.

" _Stay away from my Dad_ ," she growls in a tone I've never heard before. Her influence begins to spread through the street, leaving many people shock still, and even though I'm her father and _should_ be immune by now, I feel really weak. Amanda has a purely suffocating scent when she's angry, and as many eyes turn towards us, I know that they can smell it too. This is about to draw an audience, and fast.

Tugging with all my might, and I pull Amanda away to the park.

* * *

We walk for a while and eventually end up at a small park. Toddlers chase each other through the playground and dogs of all shapes and sizes romp through the grass. It's pretty crowded, but Amanda spots a nice empty bench. She's calmer by now, probably because there are more betas and omegas, along with dogs around. We make our way over to the bench when-

"Heads up!"

"FUCK!" A Frisbee suddenly hits me in the face.

I'm really glad that there are no kids within earshot to hear that. I have a bad habit of cursing when I get hurt. Amanda picked it up, though she does it for the most minor of pain.

"WOOF!"

A corgi with a neat plaid handkerchief tied around its neck bounds up to me, wagging its tail. He sniffs my feet, the barks up at me again.

"I like your necktie." It's very adorable. He wears it so well. Then again, he's a corgi. There are no bad outfits for a corgi.

"Ruff!" He happily runs in circles around me. My pain is forgotten as I stare down at the tiny dog, who now nudges me with his nose. His tongue lolls at his mouth as he pants, winded from running around on his tiny legs. This is it. The cutest dog. I've found it. My life is complete.

I have to pet it.

The corgi growls appreciatively as I sit on the ground and rub his ear, scratching behind his ear. His tail wags full force, panting increased. He climbs into my lap and rolls over, so I rub his stomach. 

"Amanda, we're stealing this dog," I say seriously.

Amanda sits on the ground as well, rubbing the other side of the dog's stomach. "Not that I'm complaining, but why?"

"We gotta."

"You definitely coulda caught that."

I stare down at the dog. "Are you mocking me?"

A guy in a Hawaiian shirt jogs over to us and takes the Frisbee from beside me. He twirls the Frisbee in his hands as he chuckles. "You know, Frisbees are traditionally caught with your hands, not your face."

I shrug, sadly putting the dog on the ground and standing up. "I'll catch it with my teeth next time. You caught me of guard on this round. Not again."

He laughs heartily. "Ha! I'm just messing with ya. I'm Brian by the way." He holds out his hand to shake.

"I'm Danny. And this is my daughter Amanda." I shake his hand, his large palm engulfing my own slimmer hand. And his palm is really warm. Like, really warm.

Amanda remains on the ground, rubbing the dog all over. "Hi. Your dog's cool." She turns back to the dog, fully ignoring us. I didn't really expect her to pay attention; Amanda loves dogs so an chance to spend time with one, she'll take it.

"Ah, old Maxwell sure loves the attention." He turns back to me. "It's great to see another father and daughter out here on such a sunny day."

I look around, not seeing any child with him. "Where's yours?"

Brian gestures over to a grassy knoll, where a young girl sits on a checkered blanket. She's reading a book bigger than her head. She puts it down and heads over to us. When she gets close, I'm overwhelmed by how cute she is. Amanda is much cuter, but still, this girl is adorable.

"This is Daisy," Brian says as Daisy smiles. "She's reading the Brothers Karamazov. Her teacher tells me that she has the reading comprehension skills of a high schooler."

Suspicion kicks in. I don't know what that book is, but is sounds advanced and fancy. And Daisy looks young. Maybe it's the baby fat, but she looks kinda young. "How old is she?"

"Ten," Brian answers, clapping Daisy on the shoulder. "She's a precocious little youngster."

"Whoa," Amanda breathes, tearing her attention away from the dog.

I give a little sniff while Daisy introduces herself to Amanda, sitting beside her and also playing with Maxwell. Brian gives off the alpha scent, which is clashing with Amanda's. She probably hasn't gotten over what happened with that woman and is still pissed. I don't blame her, but the clash of scents gives me a headache. Luckily, Daisy's is at a mid-way point; it's there, but not too bad. And it's very light, and smell a little like pine. So she's a beta. Interesting. Brian however, smells like nature, which contrasts heavily with Daisy's light scent.

I want to brag about Amanda, but a get a really bad head rush, probably due to the heavy mixture of scents, and I sway on my feet. The ground looks like it's about to collide with my face. And it'll probably hurt much worse than the Frisbee did.

"Whoa!" Brian snags me around the waist before I can fall. He pulls me up, but he's so close that his scent is much stronger this close. I hold back a cough, overwhelmed being so close to him. Brian takes a deep whiff of my scent and I shiver again. It's probably getting much stronger with how close mating season is. 

"Are you okay?" Amanda asks, putting Maxwell on the ground to stand and check over me. 

"I'm fine. T-Thanks," I mumble.

Brian quickly lets me go, averting his gaze. "So, I take it you guys are new to the neighborhood?"

I'm glad for the change in subject. It takes away from the awkwardness of my almost fall and how close Brian was to me. "We just moved in. Do you live around here?"

He nods, focusing more on Maxwell than any of us. "Yeah, we live in that cul-de-sac down next to the coffee shop."

"What a coincidence," Amanda chimes. "That's where we live too!"

"Huh. Small world. Yeah, Daisy and I are in that little ranch-style house on the corner."

I know that house. It's just like ours but slightly bigger an better landscaped. I huff under my breath, instincts that I've been outdone kicking in. "What a lovely place," I manage to say politely.

Brian smiles. "Well, I don't want to take up anymore of your time. Really nice meeting you guys. You'll have to stop by at some point."

"Yeah, definitely!" Amanda answers before I can. "Bye!" I feel like it was directed more towards the dog, but I couldn't tell.

Brian and Daisy wave, walking further into the park with Maxwell happily trotting along in tow. I want to snatch him and run, but his owner is too close and there are too many witnesses. Maybe next time.

"Well, all this sunlight is making me real tired. I don't think I got enough sleep last night." I really didn't. I was doing late night packing and reminiscing, and my coffee is starting to wear off leaving me with little to no energy right now.

"You usually sleep for 14 hours," Amanda points out.

"Ah, key word. Usually. Last night I didn't. I need another 10 hours before I'm raring to go."

She yawns. "Yeah. A nap does sound really good. So does that ice cream sandwich. Let's head back."

* * *

As we're walking home, I hear heavy footsteps behind us. Amanda tenses, thinking that some alpha from the park must've followed us, and I prepare to run in case that's what's about to happen.

"Danny! Bro!"

There is only one person who calls me 'Bro' as a term of endearment. I turn around, greeted by a familiar face jogging up to us. I feel my lips lift into a smile. "Craig?"

He grins. "Bro."

"Bro," I reply. Shit, how long has it been since I've seen Craig? A while now that I think back. His hair was definitely longer, his body was slimmer and not as muscular, and there wasn't a cute baby strapped to his chest.

"It's been too long dude." He gives me a side hug, not wanting to squish the baby between us. I give him a little squeeze, very happy to see my friend after so many years.

"Yeah. Wow, you look great!" The years have definitely been good to him. Better than they've been to me. 

He rubs the back of his head and chuckles. "Yeah. I cleaned up my act."

Cleaned up his act? He's got to be kidding. He's ripped now! He used to be really lanky and thin, but he filled out nicely.

I turn to my daughter who's itching to play with the baby. "Amanda, this is my friend Craig. We went to college together; we were roommates for a while too." I don't tell her that Craig helped me through all my heats back then too. Most people already assumed we slept together since we were so close, but it was a common understanding between us that no one got claimed, we would just help one another out. I never told Amanda because it didn't matter at the time, and it never came up.

Man those were some good times. 

Craig smiles at Amanda. "Amanda! Dude! You probably don't remember me, but you're so big now!"

Craig had met Alex before. He was the one to encourage me to go out with him in the first place while I was struggling to figure out my feelings. He was best man at my wedding, as I was at his, and was the first one I called on the way to the hospital when Amanda was ready to come out. He stayed the entire time making sure Alex and I were alright. He had even watched Amanda a few times for us before he moved away. I don't know  _why_ I lost contact with him for so long, but I am happy to have him back.

Amanda smiles at Craig and beams at the baby. "Hello! And hello cute baby!"

The baby giggles.

"Aw, thank you. The last time I saw you I think you were about her size." He looks down at the baby. "This is River. Say 'hi' River."

He picks up her tiny wrist and waves it around. River gurgles happily, kicking her feet.

She's adorable. But...whose baby is this? "Are you...babysitting?" Last time we talked, Craig didn't want kids. That couldn't be his, could it?

Craig shakes his head. "Nah dude. River's my kid."

I couldn't believe it. "Man, is  _has_ been a long time. Feels like one minute, were rolling up to exams with bad hangovers and the next, we're both Fathers. Where ya been man?"

"I was working out in California and just relocated the business back to Maple Bay," he answers. 

"No kidding! Amanda and I just moved to this side of town. How's Smashley doing?" Realizing what I just said, I blush and clear my throat. "I mean Ashley. Ashley is her name."

Craig's mood seems to drop. "She actually still goes by Smashley. And uh...we got divorced last year."

"Oh dude. I'm so sorry." They were a good couple from last I saw. Sure, Smashley had...ways about her, but she pushed them aside for Craig. I wanted to ask for more details, but this wasn't the time nor place. He didn't seem inclined to talk and I knew better than to pry.

He shrugs. "It's old news. We take turns taking care of River and the twins. It's all copacetic."

Be kind, rewind. "Twins?! You have  _three_ kids?" He used to cringe at the thought of just one. Man, he really did clean up! 

He chuckles again. "Ain't life something bro? Right?"

"Keg-Stand Craig is a father! Of three!" If some of our old friends could see him now, they'd be as shocked as I would.

"Keg-Stand Craig?" Amanda repeats. Oh yeah. When I told her about my college days, I neglected to mention  _those_ days.

Craig chuckles fondly, as do I. "Oh yeah. It was my old college nickname."

"He got is because he did a lot of Keg-stands." I mean a lot. For a while, I was sure he functioned with more alcohol in his bloodstream than actual blood. He never got alcohol poisoning and only went to the hospital twice. And the second time wasn't even his fault.

"It's that thing where you do a handstand on a keg and then drink from the keg," he explains at seeing Amanda's confused look.

She nods. "Right." The look she gives me clearly means that we're having story time later so she can hear all about it.

"He was very good at it," I add, remembering that one time he did it one-handed. We won a lot of bets that night due to everyone thinking Craig lacked the upper body strength, and arm strength, to hold himself up long enough to drain the keg. Unfortunately, he couldn't write essays for a while after that because he broke his arm getting down. That was a fun hospital visit. That nurse clearly wanted to break his other arm and one of mine because we were laughing for a half hour before we took him to get it checked, then laughing during the visit.

Craig checks his watch and smiles apologetically. "Ah bro, I hate to be that guy, but I'm in the middle of my daily jog and I really gotta keep up my heart rate. Brought River along for, you know, resistance training."

I think this entire little meetup put me in a permanent state of shock. Was this really Craig? Or had someone taken over his body and turned him into this? "You jog daily? I jog...monthly." I'm not the most fit dad, but I do try to exercise a little to try and keep my not-quite-flabby-not-quite-muscular physique. "And it's usually at the end of the month when I realize that I didn't jog earlier like I told myself I would and I go out and do it for thirty minutes then walk home and promise to get my lazy butt up and do it again the next day."

Craig laughs. I used to be dedicated to working out back in college while he usually took a pass, so the fact that we changed up later in laugh was highly amusing. "Well, it's never too late to get back into it dude! You should join me sometime."

That's what I used to say to him. And he never wanted to. Now however, it'd be nice, but I feel a bit self conscious standing here next to him. I'd probably look like a fool running with him. "I don't know..."

He gives my shoulder a squeeze. "Come on. It'd be fun! We could grab breakfast afterward and catch it. have a Bro Brunch like the good ol' days."

You know what? Why not? Craig would never laugh at me for failing and would make sure I was okay. "Alright, sure. Sounds great!"

He gives me a smile, clapping me on the shoulder. "Great! Let's get that going soon. I better get moving though. Good to see you guys!" He gives us a wave, puts his earbuds in, and jogs away.

I turn to Amanda, who's grinning at me. "What?"

"You totally have a crush on him!" She gushes.

"What?! No I don't!"

She rolls her eyes. "Pops, you're a terrible liar. And I saw the way you two were looking at each other. And you didn't flinch away from him!"

"I was looking at him because I'm still reeling! Craig is ripped and has kids! The Craig I knew is not fit to be responsible for any living thing, including and especially himself. One time, I watched him drink an entire jar of marinara sauce for dinner." I grab her shoulders. "Amanda, he opened up a new jar of marinara sauce and then he drank it like it was just, a fucking thing normal people do. It was unholy. And when I asked him what the fuck he was doing, he looked at me and said, and I quote 'it's basically a smoothie bro.' Then he proceeds to hand me a jar and insist I try it."

"Did you?"

"Amanda that isn't the point!"

"But technically...he isn't wrong," she points out.

"Once again, not the point." I release her shoulders and we being walking. "Let's get home. I need time to reflect on how old I feel."

* * *

When we get home, Amanda and I flop down onto the couch. Amanda has to shove some empty boxes out of the way before she can sit.

"Too bad we're gonna be putting my stuff right back into these boxes in a few months," she says after a minute of silence.

"Nooo," I whine pathetically. "Don't say that." I hate that she's going to be leaving me soon. College crept up on me sooner than I thought it would. I can't believe it's only a few weeks away. I won't be able to survive in the coming weeks.

"Aw Dad, it's gonna be okay." She gives me a lazy, one-arm hug. "I'll be fine!"

"I know. I know. It's just...you're my little girl. It's gonna be weird not having you around." Our old house was empty without Alex, and this one will get empty without Amanda.

"I'll come visit! And I'll text you every day! And I'll take lots of pictures! I mean, obviously. I'm a photography major."

I still have the irrational fear that she'll forget about me. "You promise?"

"Of course!" She sits up, scooting closer to me on the couch and laying on my chest. "Are you gonna be okay by your lonesome?"

If I manage to settle down again, probably. I'd definitely get a dog at that point. "Have more faith in me. I'll be fine. I'll get a cute little dog or something and name it Amanda."

She shoots up, smiling. "A dog!! Forget art school! I'll stay for a dog!"

We talked about getting a dog before, but there had been a large absence of money in the house. A dog was expensive and I didn't have the time nor money to care for one. Now however, it wouldn't be a bad idea... "Is that really all it's gonna take?"

"We get a husky with blue eyes, handkerchief around the neck, and I get to name it. That's what it'll cost for me to give up on my dreams. I'm a woman of simple wants and needs."

It's specific and doable. I've always wanted a husky and when Amanda saw what they looked like, she fell in love. "Well...a dog is a lot cheaper than college." And we had a nice backyard for it to run around in. Maybe I should look into getting a dog...

Amanda laughs.

Suddenly, a pile of envelopes slid through the mail slot. I'm too lazy to get up, but I know how important they are. "Speaking of college..."

Amanda darts over to the envelope and shuffles through them. She pulls out one and throws the rest back onto the floor.

"You easily could've handed those to me," I point out.

She excitedly holds up the letter. "This is from McGowan College of Art and Design!"

I'm happy for her as well. "Open it!"

She suddenly frowns. "But I'm scared."

"Amanda, it's just an envelope."

She rolls her eyes. "Yeah, it's just like, my entire future. Not a big deal." She takes a deep breath and rips the letter open with her teeth. She closes her eyes for a moment before opening them and scanning over the page. I hold my breath, hoping for the best. I really want her to succeed.

"So...?"

"Admissions committee...application...blah blah blah...portfolio was impressive...blah blah..." Her face drops. Oh no. "...regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you admission to McGowan College of Art and Design." She crumples up the letter and tosses it away.

"Oh sweetie..." I wrap her in a hug. It was one of her top three, so I could imagine how disappointed she might feel.

"It's okay. I kinda saw it coming. I knew I shouldn't have put that experimental stuff in my portfolio. Their admissions officer told me that they just want to see portraits or whatever." She sighs and pulls away from the hug, though we still kneel on the floor together.

"You're an amazing photographer. I know how much work you put into your portfolio.  Some other school is gonna want to snatch you up for sure." And I firmly believe that. Her old room was a photographer's dream, all the equipment from taking photos the old school ways to a nice computer that helped her do editing for photos she took the modern way. She was wildly creative with her edits and what she took pictures of and I knew McGowan didn't appreciate her creative if they didn't accept her. "You still have a bunch of other schools that haven't gotten back to you. Who knows?"

She sighs again. This upset her more than she's letting on. "Yeah...I know. It's fine."

I'm not so sure. "Are you actually fine or are you just saying that?"

"I'm fine. Really." Her face shows otherwise, but...I probably shouldn't push her on this. I know how it feels when something you were banking falls through, but Amanda's been taking on a lot of stress with this college thing. "Oh, and before I forget: Emma R. and Emma P. are sleeping over tonight. So..." she looks at me expectantly.

"...you need me to get out because I'm painfully uncool?"

She smirks. "I would choose more delicate phrasing but...yeah." She suddenly frowns. "Unless, you're scared of alphas coming after you. Because I'll tell them to wait until after mating season. I know it starts in two days."

Two days?! I must not have read the calendar right. But Amanda hasn't seen her friends in a while since the whole moving thing. It's not fair to make her give up on seeing her friends because I was going to go through my first mating season without suppressants. "It's fine.  I conveniently already have plans for tonight, so you'll have the new place to yourself."

"Oh yeah? What plans?"

Quick! Think of plans! 

"...The true reason we moved here is because I am secretly the mayor. Amanda, the town needs me. I need to perform my mayoral duties. I must don my top hate and wear my monocle so that I may preside over...my...mayor stuff." I don't really know what mayors do. I'm pretty sure they wear monocles though.

"I think you're thinking of the guy from Monopoly."

"Well, he was a mayor, right?"

"...he was not in fact a mayor."

Oh. You learn something new every day. "Details details. No seriously, I'm actually going to...go out and watch...the Game...?"

Amanda looks skeptical, but she's still grinning at me. "Which Game?"

She knows I don't watch Soccer or Baseball, and I'm not exactly sure if there's a football or basketball game on tonight, but sports are usually playing. "No, I mean the actual show The Game."

"That still airs?"

"No I'm kidding. I'm watching the Game that's on tonight. On TV. Somewhere that's not here. That's a Dad thing. Dads do that."

Amanda shrugs me off. "Okay, cool. While you do that, I'm gonna go do drugs and commit some light arson with the Emmas."

"I'm very concerned you're hanging with the wrong crowd. I mean, light arson? I would've expected you guys to be up to white collar crime by this point. Maybe money laundering at the least."

She winks. "I'm a street rat Pops. I didn't choose the street life, it chose me."

I want to laugh but one of the Emmas has a history of being trouble. "You are kidding about the other stuff, right?"

She rolls her eyes. "Yes Dad."

"Okay. Just making sure." I think for a minute. "The Emmas are betas, right?"

"Ugh. Dad, they are, but that doesn't mean we're gonna have an orgy or something while you're not here. Have a little more faith." She crosses her arms and gives me a slight glare.

"I have faith in you, but not _that_ Emma. Especially after what you told me she did in the library." I'm surprised that Amanda even knows what an orgy is. I haven't even had The Talk with her yet. I should probably do that soon. Either way, I'm glad she knows control. I'd been worried about that ever since she had incidents. Not with her doing anything like that, but because she has a tendency to attack first, ask questions later. She never showed attraction to anyone, but it was okay to be cautious. "I do trust you Amanda. Don't think for a moment that I don't." I pat her on the head.

She smiles, glad we're past that. "Have fun with your sports!"

"Is that sarcasm I detect?"

"Nah. Making fun of sports is played out."

I'm just about to leave when Amanda stops me and bites her lip. "Are you absolutely sure you'll be fine? Do you want to take a weapon with you or something?"

"Amanda, just like I trust you, trust me. I'll be fine."

"Okay. And also, don't forget you have that meeting with my English teacher tomorrow."

"Right. Mr. Vega. I knew that. I remembered that. Better than I remembered which Emma was which."

I was once again going to leave when the doorbell rings. Seriously! Who could possibly need anything from me right now? Do they know what time it is? I have a Game to watch. The Emmas are already here and Amanda is already itching for me to leave.

Opening the door reveals a handsome, clean-cut blonde man with blue eyes brandishing a plate of cookies. Actually, only one of his eyes is blue. The other is actually a grey-ish blue color. He must have heterochromia, like Alex did. Huh. Never met anyone else with that. Or maybe I didn't pay close enough attention to notice but his eyes are stunning and now he's speaking.

"Hello!"

"H-Hello." I am really bad at this.

"I know it's kinda late, but I baked way too many cookies and I just can't have these in the house or I'll eat them all."

Those looked liked really good cookies. But this is very odd?

My silence seems to spurn something because he holds out a hand. "Oh, where are my manners? My name is Joseph. I'm your next door neighbor."

"Oh. Oh, yeah! I'm Danny." I almost forgot my name trying to figure out what he was. There were so many alphas around that I immediately hope he isn't one. The cookies are covering the scent quite well, so it's hard to tell. 

"I saw the moving van and thought I'd do the neighborly thing and bring you some. My daughter Christie wanted me to let you know she baked them herself," he explains. Then he leans in really close, enough to where his lips are at my ear. It makes me fight back a shiver as he speaks. "Between you and me, she just sprinkled in the chocolate chips."

His scent is clean. Too clean. I never trust anyone with a scent that's oddly artificial, and that's exactly what his is. But his disposition is warding off too much suspicion, so maybe he's okay.

Amanda pokes her head out of the room and immediately hones in on the cookies. She comes over and is about to snatch the plate from me when she sees Joseph standing there. "Wow, cookies huh? Nice to meet you." She looks between me and the cookies, obviously waiting for me to hand them off. "You need to lose the weight, right Pops? Let me get rid of the temptation." She takes the plate and looks back at Joseph. "Well, thanks for the cookies!"

"Amanda, come ba-and she's gone. That's my daughter Amanda. Quite the charmer, isn't she?"

Joseph waves it away. "Daughters are tough. Sons are also tough. Children in general...they're tough."

"Tell me about it. I mean, you'd have to either be crazy or eager to reproduce to try and raise more than two."

Joseph's smiles doesn't fade, but it does feel a little forced. "I have four."

"Holy fuck, you do?! I mean, uh..." Damn it Danny you know better! It's not good to curse in front of people you've just met!

Joseph waves me off again. Man I am bad at this. "Don't worry. You didn't mean to be rude."

"Yeah. Still, sorry about that."

"No it's okay. Is the missus around?"

I can feel my mood drop. "Mister actually. And no, not anymore. He died..."

"Oh." He looks as awkward as I feel, though he seems sad as well. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

"No. It's...it's alright." It's really not. This whole situation just went to shit.

Joseph bites his lips nervously. "This is going to sound weird, but can you...close the door real quick?"

"O...okay?" I comply, shutting the door. I'm very confused on if he's just as bad at social situations and is just trying to pretend I shut the door because he was rude. But then there's a knock and I open it back up. Joseph is there with a smile on his face, hand out once more to shake mine.

"Hey, I'm your new neighbor Joseph. I promise not to bring up your dead spouse this time. I'm throwing a barbecue for the cul-de-sac and I'd love for you to come by and meet the rest of the neighbors in the community. Whadya say pal?"

It's actually really nice how he cleared the air. "That sounds great. My daughter Amanda and I would love to stop by. Also, four kids is a perfectly normal amount of children to have."

We laugh, glad the air is clear.

"Well neighbor, I'll let you get to bed. See you at 3 p.m. on Saturday!"

Wait, Saturday? When mating season starts?! There are so many alphas around! If they're all there, I'm in trouble. But I already said yes... "Sure thing, neighbor."

Joseph starts walking away, but stops to think for a second and turns around. He takes a couple of steps towards me, far too close for my liking, and inhales deeply near my neck. "And if you're willing to bring whatever smells so  _delicious_ to the barbecue," he whispers huskily. "It'd be  _greatly appreciated."_  

Was my scent that strong already?!

Joseph pulls back, smirks, and it out the door before I can process what happened.

"He was nice. Up until what he did."

Amanda walks back into the living room, crumbs on face and cookie in hand, which she holds out to me.

"Yeah. Everything before that was fine. I mean, that was the smoothest recovery I've ever seen. I should take notes." I frown, taking a bite of the cookie and flinching. "But when he got close..."

Amanda smiles, even though she looks like she wants to sprint out the door and tear Joseph apart. "See? You fit in fine. What were you worried about?"

"Things like  _that_ happening." I look at the tray, now polished clean. "Where'd those cookies go?"

"I ate them, but I saved you one," she points out, pointing at the cookie in my hand. "And your life. They were bad. Like, really bad."

"But you ate all of them."

"With help. But the Emmas didn't like them either, so you should thank the three of us."

I roll my eyes. "Right. Okay, I've stalled long enough. I'm gonna go catch the Game. Steal some dogs."

"Make sure you steal a husky!"

* * *

 A part of me thinks that I should've just set up my room.

The streets are almost empty, with only a few people looking around. People who keeping looking at me as I pass. I don't know where the nearest bar is, and I'm scared to ask for directions. Two men and four women already crossed the street and are about three blocks behind me, but they're getting closer the further I walk. I didn't take a weapon with me, thinking that Amanda was crazy for suggesting it, but it doesn't seem like a bad idea. I was already on edge because of Joseph, and now this happens.

I need an escape, and quick.

I look around, and decide it wouldn't hurt to pick a direction. I choose to turn the corner and pick up my pace a little. Which was a bad idea. It's much dimmer on these streets, the lights further apart than I'm comfortable with. Anything could happen when it's this dark. I hear a barrage of footsteps increase behind me, so I speed up again to a light jog. The distance widens, but not enough for my liking. I squint ahead, trying to find salvation, when I see a big, burned out neon sign above a tiny dive bar. Jim and Kim's? It's close, there are people going in, and it might be my only escape.

The bar is smaller than I thought, and dimly lit. There's a crack of pool balls in the back as patrons mill around, laughing and joking. A string of multi-colored Christmas lights hover above the bartender, who might be Jim or Kim; I can't tell. I pull up a seat at the bar close to a side exit. The bartender looks concerned, but polite.

"What'll it be?"

I consider something hard, but I don't want to get drunk. Alcohol might dim the senses, but it also loosens inhibitions and that pack behind me might take advantage of it. "A beer, please."

He looks behind me at the group who bursts in, eyes locking in on me. The entire bar goes silent and looks at them, trying to figure out what the noise was about. The bartender looks between me and them, narrowing his eyes. "Friends of yours?"

I shake my head, taking a gulp of my beer. "No," I mumble.

They're getting closer. I can feel it. Usually, nothing bad happens in public, but they look far too hungry for my liking. 

The bartender glares at them, picking up a knife used for cutting lemons and wiping it slowly. If it's supposed to scare them, it doesn't because they take another step forward.

There's a woman next to me slowly getting closer, holding a near empty wine glass. I have no idea when she got near me, and I want to move, but she's already pressed to my side and it doesn't look like I have an escape.

"Hey sailor."

Sailor? Oh this was going to go swimmingly. "Hello."

"Good to see fresh meat in here." That makes me uncomfortable. "I'm Mary. Come here often?"

"I just moved here. I'm Danny." The pack behind me gets closer.

"My, you reek something fierce. No wonder this whole bar's on edge." She sips her wine, gesturing around the bar. I'm aware now that the bar is indeed keyed onto me, half their attention on the game, the other half on me. Only Mary and the bartender, whose name-tag says 'Neil' oddly enough, are minding their business.

"Buy a gal a drink?"

I don't want to. But I don't want her to leave. She's the only thing warding off the pack, who've all sat down at a table far too close to me. So I signal for Neil to get her another glass of wine. They're talking and joking, but I'm too focused on making sure I can get out alive that I don't hear.

Mary tips her glass at me. "Suppose I gotta keep you company now. The wolves are relentless. So, what do you want to know?"

"What're you?" It comes out before I can stop myself. Normally, you can tell, but I'm so nervous by the pack staring at me that I can't pick up on what anyone is right now.

"Married. Beta. Don't worry. You're not my type." She winks, taking another sip from her class. Sip doesn't seem to be the right word because her glass is almost empty. "But while this town is ideal, it is ripe with alphas and betas, just waiting for someone like you to come around. Some of them are married, some aren't. With mating season Saturday, you'd best be careful. You're like walking pheromones. No wonder everyone's so crazy." She leans closer. "I could help you out you know."

Didn't she just say she was married? "N-No thank you."

She shrugs. "Suit yourself." She gets up, sights set on a newbie who entered the bar.

I panic. The pack sitting near me perk up, getting up to approach. Neil picks up his knife again, and I'm thankful he's looking out for me. He slides me another beer, eyes still on the pack.

Suddenly, there's a deep growl from my right, just as the pack gets close enough to touch me. I look over, seeing the brooding man from the Coffee Spoon. He has a glass of whiskey in his hand, though it's clenched so tightly it looks like the glass might shatter in his hands. His eyes are dark and angry as he glares at them, baring his teeth. The bartender also looks angry and ready to strike.

The pack looks like they want to still attack, but there's an overwhelming amount of heat coming from him, and it feels just as angry as he looks. I take a fearful sip of my beer, watching the exchange. The man beside me snarls like Amanda did, though it's much scarier coming from him.

The pack backs up a little.

The man turns to me, gesturing to the screen. "Enjoying the game?"

"I could be, but that pack..."

"Focus on the game. They'll lose interest." He nods at me. "The name's Robert."

"Danny." I'm still focused on them. I can't help it. They still look like they want to get closer. "Uh...which team are you rooting for?"

He's also focused on the pack, still radiating anger. Only a third of his attention is on the game, so I doubt he's paying attention to the scores. It's just nice he's looking out for me.

* * *

 

The heat eventually dies down as the pack gets up and leaves, probably to find someone else to chase. Robert relaxes at seeing them leave, turning to the game and frowning at the scores. "When did we fall behind?"

"When that guy tripped over his friend after you snarled at them again," I answer.

"Damn packs. They think numbers mean you just  _have_ to submit. They're not so tough when you prove you can take em." He waves for two glasses of whiskey. Neil puts his knife away and happily serves them, knowing the danger has passed. "New in town?"

I nod. "Yeah. Just moved today."

He takes a little sniff in my direction. "You're really ripe for claiming, aren't ya? Any alpha or beta would go crazy."

I'm not too concerned with the betas because most of them are tame. But when the alphas want something, they do anything to get it.

Robert throws his jacket onto my shoulders. "They'll leave you alone now. Probably."

I pull his jacket tighter around me. It smells like whiskey, smoke, and something musky but it's a good kind of musky. "Cool jacket. It suits your whole look."

"Thanks." He orders another round of whiskey, shots this time. I'm not shy about gulping this down, grabbing his shot and downing that one as well. Robert looks impressed, eyes me appreciatively. He waves for another round, though he keeps his hand over his own glass while I knock back mine. "What brings you here?"

"I'm running from my problems," I answer, getting the shots this time. Screw sobriety; I need these. "The usual."

"The pack was one of them?" He teases, taking another glass away from me before I can down it.

"It's been happening all day."

"I'm not surprised." He takes his own shot, then gets up. "Be right back. Gotta powder my nose."

I knock back the two shots he left on the table when he's far enough away. From the bar, Neil chuckles, pouring two more. "Never seen Robert protect someone, or talk that much. And loaning his jacket? He must like you."

"Ya think so?" Robert does have a gruff charm about him. And if he thinks I'm worth talking to, then I must be cool. I didn't even check what he was, but he hasn't made any passes at me, so that's a plus.

Robert comes back and eyes the glasses littering the bar. I gesture to the one I left for him, which he knocks back. He takes the glass I was about to drink and takes that too, smirking at me when I glare at him. "I'm gonna go home. You heading my way?" He doesn't move to take his jacket back from me, instead looking at the television.

I probably should leave. I have that thing with Amanda's teacher tomorrow and I feel the alcohol setting in. And if Robert's going to protect me again, I'd happily walk with him. Nodding, he takes the final shot and gestures for us to go.

* * *

I find myself walking the same direction as Robert, which I was secretly glad for. It was much later and the streets were a little darker at this time of night. The occasional man or woman would walk by, bu they didn't pay us any mind. Maybe because Robert's jacket was drowning out my scent, or maybe because they were taken.

"I live in this cul-de-sac down the way," Robert says, breaking into my thoughts.

Does EVERYBODY live there?

I wasn't aware that I spoke out loud until Robert chuckles. "I'm guessing you got around?"

"A little. We finished unpacking today and I met some people while we were out."

"It's a good place to be. Good neighbors. Well," his smile fades, replaced by a deep scowl. "Some of them."

"What do you mean?"

Robert sighs. "Some of the alphas..." he trails off as we stop at his house, which is just a few away from mine. The scowl has left his face, replaced with a neutral expression, and he turns to me. "Well, I don't kiss and tell." I want to ask more but he comes closer to me. "So, are we doing this or what?"

I'm not sure I know what he means. "Um..."

"You know. Do you wanna come inside or not?"

Oh no. I know this game. Sometimes, when a beta or omega is invited to an alpha's den, it's less than friendly. Sometimes it's just for a visit, but it's mostly for claiming. The only time an alpha actively seeks out a beta or omega and goes to them is when they're checking on their mate, or trying to get them back. There's a system in our world that's unfair, but it's part of nature and we have to abide by it. Still, I'm not exactly sure I want to go in with Robert.

Robert seems to take my silence as hesitation. He's upon me before I can blink, grabbing my hips with rough hands. I yelp as his teeth sink into my neck, right below my jugular. It's not enough to break the skin, nor is it in the spot to claim me, but he's sucking and licking the spot with his tongue. He pulls away for a moment to look at me, his expression intense. It's like the stare from every alpha I met today; hungry, like he's on the prowl for me. He's the hunter and I'm the prey.

And he caught me.

He pulls me closer, pushing his knee between my legs. A moan bubbles up in my throat from the contact, the sound causing Robert to chuckle appreciatively. "Decide quickly Danny. That scent is driving me crazy." His voice is also rougher than I've heard it tonight, probably due to lust. He begins rocking my hips on his knee, his hand squeezing my ass. "What's it gonna be?" I can feel his lips at my throat again, equal parts arousing and threatening.

I shouldn't do this. I shouldn't be here with him. I'm not like  _some_ omegas. I won't just spread my legs because he did a good deed for me. It's really tempting, especially with his scent so close, but not even the alcohol I've consumed will make me submit. "I don't normally do this. I think I should go."

Robert tears himself away from me slowly, like he wants to touch me, but respects that he can't. "Alright," he says simply.

I quickly head home, my head spinning. I'm nervous that I turned him down, but a bigger part is telling me that I made the right choice. I didn't want to be a notch on his bedpost. When I reached the couch, I calm down enough to realize I still have his jacket around me. I throw it on the other couch and fall asleep, trying to forget the whole experience.

My dreams don't save me. Instead of the pack from earlier chasing me, it's Matt, Brian, Craig, and Joseph, lead by Robert. I'm in am empty field trying to escape from them, but no one is around to help me and they easily catch up. I try to fight, but they're upon me and they pounce, tearing at my clothes and marking me all over. 

And I'm not fighting them.

* * *

The next thing I know, there'a a text on my phone from an unknown number. My head is pounding and squinting at my abnormally bright phone screen isn't helping.

**Rise and shine early bird. Still wanna work out? This is Craig btw ;)**

I check the time. 6 A.M. Wait, really? Who gets up this early anymore? I certainly don't want to, so I text him back a quick reply.

**Had a really bad day yesterday and tried to fix it with alcohol. It didn't help. I have a massive hangover.**

Craig is quick to respond.

**What happened?**

I shiver just thinking about it. But I always felt better talking to Craig back in college, and I felt better seeing him yesterday. Maybe talking it out would help. 

**I was basically chased by a pack last night and had to duck into a bar. They cornered me and almost got me. A fight almost broke out in the bar because they just wouldn't back off. I was so nervous afterwards I that kept drinking. Probably wasn't a good idea.**

I was almost expecting him to call after that, but another message comes through.

**Are you alright?! Dude, tell me you're fine!**

**I'm fine now. The bartender helped chase them away. I just was scared.**

**Danny, if something like that happens again, DO NOT hesitate to call me. Seriously. It doesn't matter where I am. I'll come help you. You're my best friend dude. I don't wanna see you hurt.**

That's...actually really sweet of him.  **That means a lot coming from you. If anything happens, you're first to know.**

**Good. Get some rest man. I'll call you later.**

I hover over the keys, having so much to say but not knowing how to put it into words. It ends up being a simple 'okay' but I can't express how much his offer really meant. Craig was always protective of me, but something in the message seemed like he was trying to protect me. I smile at my phone; I'm so happy he's back in my life again.

Smiling to myself, I fall back asleep. These dreams are a lot more peaceful.

* * *

I'm late. Shit, I'm late! I should've set an alarm, damn it I'm gonna be late! I have to meet with Amanda's teacher in like, ten minutes and I'm not ready! Fuck!

As quick as I can, I change into clean clothes, apply a generous amount of deodorant, contemplate whether or not a pill is worth taking, and dash out the door. The school is twenty minutes away, but if I speed and not get caught, I can cut that time in half!

Probably...

When I get to the school, I'm given a bright orange sticker and told to go down the hall; Mr. Vega's class should be getting out soon, so I can just wait. Only problem is that I don't know where. Well, there's a teen at his locker, odd because he should be in class right now, so maybe I can ask him.

"Excuse me, do you know where Mr. Vega's classroom is?"

He turns around and looks me up and down with heavily-lined eyes. He looks like he'd rather be everywhere else, but he's stuck at school. He sighs, leaning against his locker like he has a million better things to do.

"Come on kid. I'm late for a meeting with him. Help me out?"

He sighs again. "Mr. Who?"

"Mr. Vega," I repeated, already feeling my patience being tested.

"I dunno. Have you tried the exit?"

Cheeky little shit. "Alright wise guy. Can you help me or not?"

He sighs again. "Fine. Up those stairs, and to the left. Can't miss him."

"Thank you." That took much more effort than it needed.

However, I learn that the little shit lied to me. I walk around upstairs for a good three minutes and can't find him. And no one else is around to ask, so I go back downstairs to where Gerard Way is standing. I want to give him a piece of my mind, but a head pops out of the classroom next to his locker. "Lucien, don't you have a third period to get to?"

Lucien? He looks like a Gerard to me.

Lucien (Gerard) sighs. "Fine...Mr. Vega."

WOW. That. Little. Shit. He made me ten minutes late! Asshole! I glare at him as he walks off. "We're not cool man."

The man, Mr. Vega, turns to me. "You must be Danny. This period is almost over. Would you mind waiting in the back?"

With other shits like Gerard? Not really, but I'm willing for Amanda's sake.

* * *

Mr. Vega has a lot more patience than I do.

There's about twenty kids in his class and they are not listening to a thing he says. One kid is making faces every time he turns away, another girl is on her phone, and a kid in the corner is scraping very dirty drawings into his desk with a knife. And every time he asks a question, no student would answer or they'd do something stupid. And that Colin kid is the biggest shit out of all of them. I want to punch him in the throat, but I don't want to go to jail for assaulting a middle schooler.

I really couldn't be a teacher.

Class is over after another two minutes, and I can tell Mr. Vega is at the end of his wits as well. "Sorry about that. Middle schoolers." He rolls his eyes, something he probably couldn't do in front of the students.

"I thought you taught high schoolers."

"I did. And then budget cuts happened."

Oh. That has to suck. "Right."

He clears his throat. "Anyways, thank you for meeting me. It's a very important matter that needs to be addressed immediately."

"It's no problem Mr. Vega."

He holds up a hand. "Please; call me Hugo."

"Alright Hugo. If you don't mind me asking, is everything alright with Amanda? She's not trouble is she?"

"I don't normally do these impromptu meetings, but I'm sure you know that Amanda's a very bright student. Incredibly bright might I add. It's just...next week is very important in the school system."

I have a bad feeling I know what this is about. "Next week?"

"There's some mandatory testing going on next week and...next week is also mating season. And I know of Amanda's...condition."

I knew exactly what was coming next.

"Nothing has every occurred, but the school board is very concerned that something might. And with the number of middle schoolers around-"

"They're very concerned that Amanda might pounce on someone or rut and impregnate their babies," I interrupt a little angrily. It's not Hugo's fault but I wish the school board would have more faith in her, and other Alphas like her. Amanda has never done anything in the entire time she's been in school but she always gets upset when these things come up.

Hugo looks shocked. "You-"

"It happened at her last school. I've been given this talk so many times before I know it like the back of my hand. Amanda's never done anything, but I know what you're going to say 'the school doesn't want this to be the incident', and they want me to keep her home for the next week and a half," I continue. "But because of testing, you don't want them to?"

Hugo sighs, looking much older than he really is. I can tell he's tried arguing this already and got no good result from it. "I'm very sorry, and I really did try to fight it. But they're insistent. It's more due to the principal being assaulted by an Alpha when she was younger; she doesn't want a situation like that to occur here. She's already talked to many teachers and parents about this and they all agree it might be best."

I sigh. Amanda isn't going to like this. "Is there anything else?"

"Well, I was concerned with her recent behavior, but I think I understand why it's been happening increasingly lately. Did this upset her at her last school?"

I nod. "She basically shut down on me for two weeks."

Hugo nods as well. "I see. Well, she's been doing poorly on test lately and hasn't been as engaged as she usually is. It wasn't bad at first because her grades were still fine, but now I'm concerned."

I understood exactly what he was talking about. "Amanda tends to bottle things up. I can usually talk to her about them, but her condition is always a sore spot." I stand up, knowing this meeting was basically over. "I will try to talk to her about it."

Hugo stands as well. "Well, thank you for coming to meet with me."

"It's not a problem." I'm about to leave, but something occurs to me. "Do they ever catch the Rye?"

Hugo smiles at me. "Actually...yes."

* * *

While I'm sitting in the car waiting for Amanda, I'm trying to think of ways to breech this subject. She once told me that she hated what she was because people made fun of her for it. And that people always looked down at her because of it, thinking that she would attack them or use her influence to exploit someone. Every time I try to talk about it, she changes the subject. I wish Alex was here to help me...

Amanda gets in the car, already in a bad mood. "Hey Pops."

I wince. This is not going to go well. "Hey Manda Panda." I start the engine and pull away. "How was school?"

"I was placed into a 'special' classroom in fifth period," she says bitterly. "There were only six of us in there. Six!"

Six? And they're concerned for a whole school? "What happened?"

"They basically told me that because I'm so special I should be with people as special as I am so no one else feels bad. Or that I should just stay home next week." She pulls out her phone and glares at it. "It's because of what starts Saturday, isn't it?"

I swallow harshly. This is already going as bad as I foresaw it would. "Not gonna lie to you. Yeah. That's exactly what's up. Mr. Vega fought for you," I try to add, hoping it cheers her up.

She types for a second then sighs. "So what're we gonna do while I'm home? Binge something on television? You gonna tell me your college stories? Watch old videos of me?"

I need to break her out of this mood. "...how about, instead of focusing on that now, we take a trip to the mall?"

She quirks an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Can't I treat my super special daughter to something...special?"

"Will you buy me things?!" She looks much happier now. I'm glad.

"I will buy you a thing. Thing. Singular. You get a-you know what? You can have two things."

"Plural?! Man, I really am special!"

She's grinning the whole time, pulling out her phone to play a game. We drive in silence for a short while, nothing really to be said. Amanda knows what's going on and I kept it real with her. I know she's hiding how upset she is, but I don't want to say anything to ruin her mood. Maybe I should just leave her be...

"So...how do you...go about..." Amanda trails off.

"Yes?"

"Well, Papa was a beta, right? How did he...I mean..." she sighs. This is not like her. Amanda is usually direct with what she wants to say. The only time she ever stuttered was when she was younger and didn't want to tell us when something was wrong. Maybe the thing with school was bothering her more than I thought it was. But then, why did she ask about Alex?

"Amanda, you can ask me anything."

She takes a breath. "Okay. Well, let's say you like someone, but you aren't sure if they like you and you don't want to come on too strong or too creepy. How do you approach them?"

Oh.  _Oh._ We were having one of  _those_ talks. "Well...your Papa took it slow with me, but he let it be known that there was attraction there. I was stubborn, so that's why it took a while for us to finally get together. I guess...you just have to be careful. Especially if you're concerned with them being different than you. Being an Alpha can be a little intimidating, but prove that you aren't the stereotypical alpha. Let them see _you_ , not what you are."

Amanda nods slowly. "Thanks...I needed that."

* * *

 We arrive at the mall, a big indoor shopping center with at least five different floors. It's kind of dead, but that doesn't stop a mall security guard from yelling at a group of loitering teens. It's good that there's barely anyone here because at least the lines wont be super long and we'll be able to walk around and see what's here. At least, I want to see what's around. Hopefully Amanda won't want to leave after we buy her Things.

"Alright. Let's get something truly vile for dinner."

"Fuck yeah!"

"Language Manda."

"Hell yeah!"

"Amanda."

"Heck yeah?"

"Much better."

"But you say it all the time."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you should mimic me."

We head over to the Food Court, and I'm nauseous just looking at the options. I don't recognize any of the stands, and nothing really looks like food. Everything is greasy, deep fried, covered in cheese, covered in salt, covered with cream, or a combination of all of that. MY heart is on fire just looking at the menus. No one looks happy to be here, and no one looks happy to be eating any of this."

"So, anything here appeal to you? Bread dipped in cheese, sugar, fried, or do you just want me to inject some fat directly into your bloodstream? Maybe fetch you some pills so you can eat without dying?"

I take her hand and get on one knee. "Amanda, would you do me the honor of sharing some nachos?" They look the safest. I think.

Amanda pretends to fan her eyes. "I've been waiting for those words for three minutes. Yes. It would make me the happiest, cheesiest girl alive."

We order a big enough pile of cheese and nearly neon orange cheese from a very unenthusiastic and possibly stoned teenager. We take a seat at a rickety table and dig in. The nachos taste as artificial as they look. I can feel my teeth slowly eroding away with every bite and it makes me cringe.

Amanda swallows roughly and makes a face. "These are bad. These are very bad."

"But...strangely delicious?" I mean, they taste artificial, but that kind of artificial that just makes itself work.

"We're obligated to eat them. We can't quit now." She takes another chip which slowly sags from the huge amount of cheese on it.

We enjoy the neon cheesy goodness together until we're out of nachos. The cheese is sitting uncomfortably in my stomach, but I'm satisfied. Amanda throws away the garbage in an overflowing can, sitting back down and rubbing her stomach. "So, where to now?"

"Well, I promised you two things. How about that goth store you like?"

"What?"

"You know, the one that's all black and tries to establish itself as anti-establishment despite being an exact representation of the establishment?"

"I...don't know what store you're talking about."

"You know, the one where you can buy chain wallets and it's basically an assault on what people fought so hard against in the punk and hardcore movements of the 70s and 80s?"

"Dude, you gotta be more specific."

I sigh. "That one store when you punched that lady who was hitting on me and her tooth fell into the rest of your electric blue slushee and it grossed you out so much you vomited all over the band shirts?"

"Oh! That one!" She grabs my hand and runs in the direction of the store. I stumble to keep up, my Dad stamina really bad after having just ate. But it's not too far away and before long, she's letting go of my hand and making a beeline for the back. I stop to catch my breath while she looks for the spot and grins when she finds it.

"Look look! You can still see the outline!" She traces the outline in the air with a finger, nodding appreciatively.

"I'm so...proud?"

"Speech! Speech!"

"Amanda, please don't start-"

"Speech! Speech! Speech! SPEECH! SPEE-"

"ALRIGHT! BUT NO CHANTING!" I clear my throat. "Thank you all for joining us here today, to commemorate a historic moment that would forever shape...history. On a day very much like today some five years ago, our very own Amanda Ann Sharp punched an alpha who wouldn't take a hint, and said alpha lost her tooth in her Blue Raspberry slushee during a normal outing to the mall. After begging her father to take her to Dead, Goth & Beyond to buy rainbow suspenders, she proceeded to throw up all over a display of My Chemical Romance merchandise. Her loving father then had to pay for said merchandise, which to this day, remain among our possessions. Thank you." I bow as Amanda begins clapping, so vigorously that other people turn to stare. At least three people clap along with her, probably just for fun. Eventually though, she spots something worth her attention and browses around.

Since she left me alone, I figured that I can shop around to and decide to check out some shirts. They're mostly black or in dark hues, and most of them are bands or skulls, nothing much for a Dad to wear in this place. Some of them are crude, some are actually nice. I don't recognize any of the brand names nor bands, but it doesn't matter. I'm not here for me, I'm here for Amanda.

I pick up a navy blue t-shirt and inspect it. I cringe at the wording. ' **Alpha's Cum Dump.** ' I would never wear this out in public, not in a million years. I look at a few more, seeing some clever phrases, cool designs, or some tight-fitting  shirts that I probably shouldn't put on. I'm a Dad and these shirts are clearly not for anyone over 20. 

"Look, this is very important to me."

I couldn't help but perk up at the soft, yet firm voice from behind me. I turn a little, seeing an older gentleman holding a garment and showing it to a bored looking cashier with pink hair and too many piercings. The gentleman however, looks like something out of an old vampire movement, all pale skin and bright eyes and shiny hair.

"I can see that." The cashier huffs. "Don't know what to tell you dude. I just work here."

"Listen," the gentlemen looks highly agitated. "When I bought this online, the website said this blouse was Victorian-inspired. However, when I received it, it CLEARLY held the trademark of Edwardian dressage."

"Do you want a coupon? I can give you a coupon. Will you leave if I give you a coupon?" The cashier holds one out and waves it around a little, probably hoping it will make the guy leave. I kinda want a coupon. Stuff in here is expensive.

"Is there a manager present? People have to know what they're buying."

"I AM the manager."

The man is a little surprised, but doesn't let it show. "I see. Well, it would seem that I have outstayed my welcome. Good day shopkeep. Your superiors will receive a strongly worded letter by post."

"Whatever dude."

The man whirls around and storms out, his literal coattails trailing behind me. I can't tell if they're Victorian-inspired or Edwardian in nature. He actually looks like he's gliding instead of walking, like in that one movie Amanda made me watch. Like an actual supernatural being. Was he actually a vampire or was it just in my imagination? 

Amanda trots up to me with a t-shirt and suspenders in hand. Oh boy. Here it comes.

"Heeeeeey Dadtron 5000?"

"YES, I really did mean two things and yes I will buy them for you."

"Wow." Amanda smiles. "That was easy. Thanks!" She eagerly walks up to the register and places her items down, grinning at the cashier. "I love your hair."

The cashier looks at her strangely, but says nothing and rings Amanda up, radiating hatred and something I can't place. I hand her a twenty, keeping my eye on her. The way she's eyeing Amanda in unnerving, but Amanda didn't seem to notice.

"So, what was that guy's deal?" I ask, drawing her attention away from Amanda.

The cashier rolls her eyes, but whether it's at me or the question remains unknown. "That's Damien. He's in here all the time. He's obsessed with Victorian fashion or whatever." She hands Amanda her bag and while it seems like she wants to say something to her, it's clear the conversation is over. I glare at her while Amanda isn't looking, making it clear that she's not allowed near my daughter. She glares back, probably planning on hitting Amanda if I weren't here. Well, I was here and she shouldn't plan on hitting on my daughter.

* * *

Amanda and I sit on the couch, trying to find something on TV over bowls of ice cream. I get nervous as the night carries on, knowing that Saturday will be coming soon and I'll have to face Joseph and other neighbors, which probably included Robert, Brain, and Craig. Craig I didn't mind because we were so close, but after what happened with Robert and how close Brian was to me, I was really concerned. Mating season started tomorrow as well, and my heat started tomorrow too. I already felt moody and not in the mood for anything, but I did promise and I feel like Joseph would be disappointed. Or maybe drag me out anyways. And he lives next door! He could easily hop the fence and check on me. I would have to go and just hope Craig makes good on his promise to protect me.

I wish Alex was here, or at least my mom. She always knew how to calm me down and deal with situations like this. Mainly because she had been in a boat like this. I could really use her guidance right about now. Amanda was having trouble dealing with her status, and my stupid decision to take suppressants to for long made me a prime omega. My first heat in years, and it happened to fall on the same time mating season started. And Amanda would be going through the motions tomorrow as well. I could not deal.

I'm so scared at this point that I don't notice Amanda has already retired to her room and it's well past midnight. I look down at my bowl, empty now. Which meant I had probably been mindlessly ate and talked with her without even realizing I did it. Man, I really needed to calm down. All I had to do was stay in my nest and wait for it to pass. It wouldn't be too bad. I could handle it.

My eyes drift to my discarded shirt, lying on the floor. My pills are still in the shirt pocket and it's tempting to take one, but I promised myself and Amanda that I wouldn't. I doubt it would help either. I would just have to tough it out. And I was decently strong and didn't really have anywhere to go. I could do this. I just had to keep reminding myself of that. I could do this.

I head to bed, mentally preparing myself for tomorrow.

It was bound to be a disaster. I could already tell.

 


	2. The Week

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hate heat. I hate mating season. Everyone is looking at me, even more than before and it's scaring me. Amanda is starting to get angry, I can feel Alphas left and right wanting to pursue me, and to make matters worse, the cookout did not help me in the slightest. Now all these alphas want me and I don't know how I'm going to fight them all off.  
> They're all after me.  
> They all want me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the month (two month) long delay, but life hit me hard recently. My family has been going through some...stuff, and I've been in and out of hospitals lately and that stressed me out. Luckily, everything is okay in the family, things are working out, and everyone is getting better, so I should work out a better schedule for updating. I am in love with this idea and I want to see it to completion. If I finish any of my stories, this one is getting top priority.
> 
> Also, you guys are awesome! I got many nice comments and a lot of kudos on this and I can't thank you guys enough. Thank you all for being understanding and for the kind messages; they've really made my day when I was feeling sad or stressed out. So thank you guys for the support.
> 
> Notes: I forgot that Joseph lives across the street and not next door, so forgive me for that little mistake. 
> 
> Things in this chapter are going to pick up and while I wanted to have at least three chapters before we got to the sexy stuff, that wasn't going to happen with everything going on. I would've had to cut chapter one in half, maybe even into thirds, and I liked the length it ended up. So if we got here a little too soon for your tastes, I apologize but it has to happen this way. You'll see why later on.

I wake up the next morning and immediately want to just crawl into my nest and go back to sleep. I'm exhausted, I'm hot, and I don't want to go out. I want to just lie here and watch bad television or cat videos until this week is over and I can go back to normal life where no one wants to jump me. I'm not looking forward to going to the barbecue and I'm not looking forward to it even if I do see familiar faces. Joseph and Robert already made moves on me, Mat looked hungry that day in the coffee shop, Brian's scent was far too heavy for me, and I'm terrified of what might happen with the entire cul-de-sac right across the street. I almost want to ditch, but I am once again reminded that Joseph lives really close and could check on me if he wanted so I wouldn't be able to ditch that easily. 

"Morning sleepyhead!" Amanda sings, sounding far too cheerful for my tastes. I don't know why she's so happy, but I'm not going to ruin her mood just because I feel like crap. 

"Five more days," I mumble, hoping that she'll forget about the picnic and agree to just chill in the living room with me.

"You never even let me have five minutes, so get up." She tears the blankets off of me and dumps them on the floor. As soon as she looks at me, she wrinkles her nose. "You reek. Really bad."

"Thanks. It's my natural scent." I roll out of bed and drop to the floor, pressing my face against the cool floor and feeling some of my heat slow ebb away. It's not enough to take away all of the heat, but it feels nice against my skin. "I don't wanna get up."

"Dad, you already agreed to go, you're planning on making a fruit platter by hand, and you promised me you'd go out and be more sociable. If you didn't make that much effort, I'd say don't go. But you did, and now you have to go." Amanda lays beside me on the floor. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm not feeling the best either, but I'm trying to power through it."

I sigh. This can't be easy on her either. Amanda being a peculiar Alpha was bound to cause trouble for her during this week. "The minute things go south, can we go?"

"The minute someone looks at you wrong and I have to tear out a throat we can leave."

I life my face a little to look at her. "Amanda, I taught you better than that. You always go for one of the three C's."

Amanda nods. "Oh yeah. Cranium, center mass, crotch."

"That's my girl."

* * *

I usually love cooking because it calms me down, but I don't even feel like doing that. Instead of making waffles from scratch like I planned to, Amanda and I have cereal for breakfast and she spends the morning putting together furniture while I prepare a fruit tray for the cookout. I easily finish that due to having an affinity in the kitchen and working with my hands, and now that I've eaten I have a little more energy, so I help Amanda with the furniture. It takes us longer than we should due to my sluggishness and inability to read the tiny manuals, which leaves Amanda with most of the work. It's easier for her to interpret the manuals and figure out which slot goes where, and she's pretty proud of herself that she put together some shelves and a desk. I swore it was supposed to be a bookcase, but that's okay because we already have a bookcase that's a little empty so it doesn't matter. 

Once we put away our tools, Amanda turns to me and smiles, but I don't return it. "So, you excited for the cookout today?"

She knows I'm not, but Amanda likes to keep my mind occupied whenever I start getting anxious. "I am a little nervous, but I'll see it as a learning opportunity. I'm okay at grilling, but if I can snake some hot grill tips, I think we can consider it a success." I can grill, don't get me wrong, but I prefer other methods of cooking rather than grilling. I actually prefer baking in terms of preference, which not many people seem to do. It's not what a normal Dad would do, but I'm not a normal Dad.

Amanda rolls her eyes. "Don't you want to meet some of the people in the neighborhood?"

"If this was next week, yes. However, right now, I'm nervous. What if that pack of Alphas is after me again? I'm just gonna end up standing uncomfortably in the corner with a plate of food and hoping that nobody talks to me or smells me."

"Dad, you're a beautiful work in progress. We'll get that butterfly to emerge from the cocoon. And if someone looks at you wrong, I'll go for one of the three C's. No one's messing with my butterfly." She smiles. "My social butterfly."

I finally smile at her. That did make me feel a little better. "Sometimes I wonder who the parent is here."

"I've learned from one of the best." She stands up and dusts off her clothes. "What time is?"

"Around time for us to start getting ready. We definitely don't want to be late." Or show up at all. But I don't say that out loud.

Amanda looks at me, shocked. "What? No. We have to be fashionably late. Who shows up to a cookout on time?"

I fold my arms. "I made a truly wonderful fruit platter that needs to be appreciated, and you know what? We're going early, just because you said that." I get up to get dressed and conceal as much skin as I possibly can. I don't even bother putting on cologne or anything like that because I know that it won't work, but I still don't want to draw too much attention to myself. It doesn't take me long to get ready, but I my legs feel heavier with each passing minute. I force myself to dress faster; I really don't want to be too late.

I head to the fridge and pull out the fruit tray that I prepared by hand earlier that morning while Amanda makes sure she looks presentable. Amanda looks at the tray a little hungrily, looking like she wants to take some, but it's for the cookout and I didn't prepare it for us. "I'll make another just for us, alright?"

Amanda smiles and we head out the door. It only takes two minutes to walk across the street to Joseph's house with our fruit tray. I'm nervous with every step, and once we get to the gate to the backyard, I almost pass out from hyperventilating I'm so nervous. My body is already at war with me, reacting to all the scents around me and letting my availability be known. My body wants me to be swollen with children and satisfied after so many years without heat that it's basically broadcasting that I'm still in the good years where I can reproduce, and the thought of my scent being out there like that scares me, to the point where my vision starts swimming. Amanda has to take my hand and breathe with me to calm me down. It's a bit of a struggle, but I eventually take one final breath and walk into the backyard.

We weren't as early as I thought we were: Joseph's backyard is already packed with people and the smell of hot dogs wafts through the air. Small children run through a sprinkler and adults chat in small clusters. I'm forced to hold my breath with so many scents around, much stronger now that heat has begun. I need to calm down, so I focus on Amanda walking beside me instead of the eyes I feel drilling into my skin. Maybe I can drop off our tray and leave...

I had just set down our fruit tray by two veggie trays when I feel a hand ghosting up my back. I shiver, clenching the sides of the tray so tightly I might break it. "It looks just as amazing as you smell." Joseph's voice is so low and  _hungry_ and I immediately take a small step away. Joseph's hand is still on me, but he moves it when Amanda turns to stare at us. His eyes go from hungry to friendly the minute Amanda looks up. "Welcome! I'm so glad you two are here! And you brought a beautiful fruit tray!"

I cut the fruit into different sized pieces and made a rainbow, starting with cherries and ending with grapes. Joseph looks over it appreciatively, taking a piece of pineapple and popping it into his mouth. Amanda isn't paying attention, so he doesn't notice Joseph swirl his tongue around the small chunk of pineapple before he eats it. I shiver again; it's obvious that Joseph is very affected right now and he's beginning to come on a little strong.

At that moment, Amanda turns back to us with sweets in hand and Joseph once again looks normal, gesturing to the children behind him. "Let me introduce you to my family. Kids, come on over here!" He puts his hand on the biggest child's shoulder. "This is Chris, my eldest."

Chris looks like he'd rather be anywhere else. "Hi," he says, deadpan.

Joseph is probably used to it since it's his kid, because he lets it go and gestures to a boy and a girl. "This is Christian and Christie. They're twins."

They stare creepily at Amanda and I and say nothing. This is the Shining. I'm in The Shining. There's no long hallway and it's not dark out, but this is The Shining and those twins want my soul.

Once again, Joseph doesn't pay them any mind and gestures once more. "Then of course, there's our youngest, Crish." However, when he gestures to nothing but air, he looks confused. "Wait, where is Crish? Maybe Mary put him in his crib..."

Mary? He has another daughter? 

Oh no. It's her. It is the lady from the bar. I'm immediately nervous. She has the same look on her face as she did as the bar and I feel smaller than I really am, even though I'm taller than her.

"Oh! And how could I forget my lovely wife Mary?" He pecks her on the cheek, making her smile.

Wife?! But he was trying to grope me and got all close and personal to me! 

"Ah, Mary sweetheart. Did you put Crish to bed?"

Mary's smile seems to drop a bit. "I'll have to go look for him."

Joseph's mask of calm is replaced by a look of shock. "What-? You'll have to-?"

This shocks me the most. It happens so quickly that I'm sure no one catches it, but me.

Joseph's face turns from shock to anger, so quickly that I'm almost sure I was just imagining it. His eyes darken and his lips turn to a snarl. He makes no noise, but the look on his face is so angry that I'm terrified. But it's gone so quickly and he regains his composure too fast for me to comprehend if it truly happened. "Mary, this is our new neighbor: Danny and his daughter Amanda."

Mary looks at both of us, smile gone by now. "I'd shake your hand, but I have a glass of wine that I need to tend to."

So that's one thing that doesn't shock me.

Amanda looks very pleased. "I love her."

"Nice to meet you Mary." I'm intimidated by her and I think she knows it. Either that, or she just enjoys playing these games. Playing around or not, she simply gives an incredibly forced smile.

"Charmed." And just like that her smile is gone. "Well, I have to go over there now." She leaves, probably to go get wine instead of actually looking for her baby. Even though I'm nervous around her, I wish she had stuck around. It's a little awkward now, especially since Joseph keeps giving me looks. Amanda is blissfully unaware, looking at all the sweets available. Joseph is not ashamed to stare all over me, and I now feel like running away and going home.

Joseph laughing a little brings me back to reality. "My wife has a wonderful sense of humor. But please, you two enjoy the barbecue. All the guys are really excited to meet you." Even though it's a general statement, his eyes linger on me, hungrily taking in my figure. I don't trust him, even though we're out in the open. I feel like he'd conveniently forget something in the cellar and ask me to help him retrieve it, only to jump me when we were alone. I don't put it past him to try something like that.

I turn to the others gathered and look over all of them. "Wow. I think I've actually met everybody else."

Joseph claps me on the shoulder, leaving his hand for a moment longer than I'm comfortable with. "Great! I bet you're excited to get to know everyone better! Hope you both enjoy yourselves!" He gets close to me again. "I'm excited to know  _you_ a little better. I'd gladly enjoy you for  _hours._ "

Once again, I'm nervous by his quick changes. And once again, I still can't smell anything from him. Even when he was close, he's still too clean! It doesn't bode well for me and I need to be careful not to be caught alone with him while we're here.

When Joseph leaves, I sigh quietly and try some of the food spread out on the table. I pick at some devilled eggs and take some veggies, while Amanda grabs a small paper plate and immediately begins piling it with baked goods. She grabs another small plate and fills it with most of the grapes from my fruit tray and eats those.

I bite into an egg and look around nervously. "I don't want to make friends, nor do I want to get noticed."

Amanda puts her third cookie down. "Come on Dad. Who're you gonna party with when I go off to school?"

"I can party with the dog I'm getting."

"Dad."

"I'd buy him a cute jacket and sunglasses and we'd stroll the streets together and at night I'll spend time teaching him party tricks." I can see myself on the floor with a husky, trying to wrestle my slippers from it. It's a better picture than wrestling with an alpha that's trying to gain dominance over me.

Amanda shooes me to a crowd of people. "Go. Do it. Make a friend."

"But how could I abandon my own daughter at a social function? That's bad parenting."

Amanda holds up her plate of cookies and hugs it close to her. "This plate of cookies is my new Dad. Bye."

I know when I'm not wanted, but Amanda makes it even clearer by shoving me into the center of the yard. Well...here goes nothing. I look around for openings to escape in case something happens and take note of everyone around. There are familiar faces which both makes me a little happy and a little nervous. 

I see Mat from the Coffee Spoon, Brian from the park, Craig which immediately makes me feel safer, Amanda's teacher...Hugo I think, the guy from Dead, Goth, and Beyond and...Robert.

Memories of me pinned against his door come to the surface and my body heats up. I remember his body pressed against mind, his heat seeping into my very body, his lips, rough an unforgiving on mine, and that sinful knee between my legs. I remember the look in his eyes back at the coffee shop, and the dark look in his eyes both times.

Wait.  _Wait._  All of these people live in our cul-de-sac? That...that can't be right. This neighborhood wasn't the biggest, but it wasn't that small ether. All of them couldn't just be around!

I can't do anything about it. I just have to try and push through this. We're around too many children for anyone to try anything, and a simple shout will draw Amanda to me. I can handle this. 

I spot Craig standing with Mat and Hugo and decide to go say hello. Craig is smiling politely, obviously confused about what they're discussing, while Mat and Hugo are engaged in an intense discussion. River is kicking her feet while they talk, every once in a while turning to look up at Craig. I'm very comfortable with Craig if anything, so it won't hurt to mill around with them.

"Well, I don't think it's fair to try and compare two art movements like that," Hugo is saying as I approach. "Periods in art only exist because they're a unique byproduct of the social and political climate of a time and place, and try to take something like, say, the Rococo period and compare it to post-modernism in America, you're completely misreading the context in which a work of art is created."

Wow...I understood like...two of those words. Mat and Hugo seem so busy talking that they don't even notice that I'm here. At least, not until I pass them to stand near Craig. I notice that Mat stutters and Hugo coughs, but they resume their conversation like nothing ever happened. Craig just smiles and leans in. "Dude...I have no idea what's happening."

"I just got here and I'm already confused." I decide to try and make sense of it. Maybe I could translate.

"..that kind of comparison just eliminates the reason art movements are so important in the first place," Hugo continues.

"You're not wrong," Mat says. "But I think there's no harm comparing one work of art to another. You could definitely say one painting is better than another if you're evaluating technical skill from a purely formalist standpoint. If I showed you a Matisse and then something by the Dutch masters, which one would you say shows more technical prowess?"

Tech...Matisse...formalist...I'm so lost right now. I only understood every other word. I look at Craig, who looks just as lost as I feel. I don't know know Hugo is talking about as he launches into a counter argument, which leaves Craig and I both looking to one another for help.

"...I have no idea what we're talking about right now," I say, not realizing it was out loud.

Hugo chuckles. "We were just discussing the importance of context when talking about artwork."

Mat holds up his hands. "Listen. All I asked was if you liked van Gogh or Picasso better."

Oh. That's much simpler than I thought it was. And now that I knew that, all the years of art in high school and the two years in college come back to me.

Hugo throws up his hands in frustration. "But they represent two completely different art movements! How could I possibly choose between the thick, creamy impasto of post-impressionism and the abstractionist beauty of cubism?"

"Well, considering that they are two of the most recognizable names on the planet, Van Gogh has a much bolder outlook in his paintings that shows a world that is both embracing and slightly leery at the same time. But it is this contrast that makes his work...stand out. He created a style and ran with it. Whereas Picasso's art style is a lot subtler and features more intensives looks at loss, himself, and how he perceives the world. Yes, both of them created different styles that few can hope to compare to, but in a matter of speaking: Van Gogh is the better painter but Picasso has the better paintings."

Mat, Hugo, and Craig all stare at me in shock. 

"I thought you had no clue what we were talking about," Mat teases.

"What? I took some art classes in college. We  _had_ to compare certain art styles. I just didn't understand what you were discussing at first." I fold my arms. "My professors always had to use simpler terms around me."

Craig laughs. "I remember you trying to teach me about it. I didn't get it then, and I don't get it now."

Mat smiles. "It's all good man. The cool thing about art is that we all perceieve it differently. A single piece could have a totally different effect on each person that looks at it, and that's awesome!"

Hugo doesn't look like he agrees. "Just one minute about that!"

Mat rolls his eyes. "Hugo, please."

"Sorry. Sorry. I get really fired about art stuff." He turns to me, the art conversation finally over. "So Danny, how are you liking the neighborhood?"

I'd like it even better if I hadn't gotten chased by a pack, and the town staring at me was unnerving, but it was a really great neighborhood. "It's pretty nice. Everybody's been super friendly!"

"Seems like your daughter is fitting in just fine."

Mat points across the yard to where Amanda, Daisy, and another young girl are playing. They're all sitting cross-legged in the grass, picking weeds and weaving them into little flower crowns. It's pretty adorable. The girl I don't recognize jogs over to us, smiling up at Mat.

"What is it sweetheart?"

She holds up her crown. "It's a flower crown. I thought you'd look cute in it."

Mat's smile widens. "Well, there's only one way to find out." Mat takes the crown from her and place it on top of his head. "Am I cool now?"

Cool? More like adorable. It fits him, and I'm now consumed with the urge to pinch his cheeks. I also want one.

The girl stares at him, thinking it over. It looks quite comical on her face, trying to be serious.

Finally, she smiles. "Mmm...nope. But you're slightly less uncool than you were before you put it on."

Wow. She reminds me of Amanda at that age.

Mat pats her on the head. "Hey Danny, this is my daughter."

"Hello," I greet.

"I'm Carmensita!" She smiles widely at me, showing off four dimples in her cheeks and pearly whites. Wow. The Amanda in her is strong.

Speaking of Amanda, she comes over with Daisy in tow. I can't believe how fast she got along with all of them. "Dad look! I'm making friends! Are you making friends? You better be making friends."

"As a matter of fact, I have." I fold my arms and smile triumphantly. "Amanda, you remember the cool barista from the coffee shop, my old college friend, and...uh...your teacher."

Amanda freezes. "Oh. Hi Mr. Vega. I didn't realize we were neighbors."

Hugo looks way too pleased right now. "Yep. You still gonna get me that overdue term paper?"

"Overdue?" I repeat. "By how long?"

Amanda laughs nervously. "Great seeing you!" Amanda finger guns her way out of the conversation like a champ. Daisy runs off after her, also trying to finger gun out of here.

"She learned the finger guns move from me. I'm very proud." I remember doing it all the time to Alex, which was the one thing he said he didn't want Amanda to pick up. Too bad for him that she did, doing the finger guns whenever she was in trouble with him. He'd end up laughing so hard he couldn't ever punish her. I did not stop gloating about it for days. He did his very best to break her out of it, but it didn't work. He blamed me for the fact that he could never punish her.

"She's definitely a charmer. And speaking of charmers, where did my son go...?" He looks around the party. There are so many kids here that it's probably difficult to locate your own. But he must finally spot him, because his eyes go wide. "Ernest! Ernest Hemingway Vega! Are you smoking?!"

I have to stifle a chuckle at the name. He's such a literature dork. His partner must be as well, because Ernest Hemingway Vega? 

I follow where he's looking, seeing Ernest holding a lit cigarette. He doesn't look like he cares, because he casually takes a long drag of his cigarette and then flicks it into a gutter.

Hugo shakes his head. "Unbelievable. Excuse me." Hugo marches over to Ernest and I turn my attention to Mat and Craig. They both politely turn away from Hugo scolding Ernest and look back to me.

"Kids, right?" Well, that was one way to put it.

"Man, I do  _not_ envy Hugo. The last barbeque we had, Ernest tried to shove a sparkler down Joseph's pants. Nearly burned down half the yard." Mat gestures to an uneven and discolored patch of grass near the far end of the yard.

Craig nods. "And the barbecue we had before that, he actually burned down half the yard."

"And then it spread onto my lawn and burned down half of my yard." He grimaces as Hugo walks back over, practically dragging Ernest behind him. He covers it with a polite smile, even though Ernest looks like he could care less.

"Hey everybody. Sorry about that. Danny, this is my son: Ernest."

The least I could do is be polite. "Hello."

Ernest looks away, sulking. His hands are shoved deep in his pockets, his whole being smelling like smoke. He doesn't speak, more interested in where he flicked his cigarette. I really hope we don't have another fire disaster today.

Hugo nudges him impatiently.

Ernest looks back at me. "...hey."

Well, he tried at least. "Nice to meet you Ernest. What grade are you in?"

He scowls. "Does it matter?"

"Ernest," Hugo said firmly.

Ernest throws up his hands. "Okay. Okay. I'm in eighth grade. God, are you happy now?! I'm sure you were just  _dying_ to know."

"No, I was just trying to be polite." I do not like this kid. He’s tied with Gerard for kids I do not feel like dealing with for extended periods of time.

Ernest glares at me. "Can I go now? I'm tired of talking to old dudes who blame my generation for the failing economy."

"Oh sure. Don't even thank us for trying to fix it," I mutter.

Craig covers his laugh with a cough, more interested in River kicking her feet rather than this conflict. Mat is fiddling with the flower crown, and Hugo looks shocked. Ernest is glaring at me, not that I care. I don't mean to take out my anger on him, but I'm very tightly wound up.

Ernest shoves his earbuds in his ears and storms off to stand in a corner. He glares at me once more and crosses his arms, ignoring everything and everyone.

I turn to Hugo, searching for the right words to say. "...he's a charmer, isn't he?"

Hugo puts his head in his hands and sighs. "I'm sorry for him. He's been having a really rough time. And as much as I want to be a Cool Dad, I have to be Authoritarian Dad and he clearly resents me for it."

"I mean, I think that as a Dad and a teacher, that's about as authoritarian as you can get," Craig points out.

"Honestly, are any of us Cool Dads? Is it even possible to be a Cool Dad?" Mat is asking the serious questions here. Never mind art, this is the real discussion. To be a Cool Dad or to be the Authority Dad?

"I mean, I'm cool as a cucumber." There was probably a cooler way to say that, but I couldn't think of one at the moment.

Mat clicks his tongue. "See? That right there. You can't say that."

Craig looks down at River. "My kids think I'm cool." River babbles happily, almost as if in agreement. 

"But for how long Craig? How long do we get to be the Cool Dads?"

Craig scratches the back of his neck. "I uh...don't know." River sticks her tongue out at Mat and blows a raspberry, almost as if she knew Mat made her father upset.

"I think we just have to accept the fact that as Dads, we've become the Machine we once raged against and accept our fate to unironically wear socks with sandals. Your kids think you're cool now, but the moment they hit puberty, you're doomed." Mat looks over at his daughter, making more flower crowns. “As you saw, my daughter has already labeled me as uncool, but I was prepared for that  . It happens when they hit a certain age.”

"I'm not so sure. Amanda's 18 and she still thinks I'm cool." I turn to where my daughter is sitting on the ground, also making flower crowns. "AMANDA I'M COOL, RIGHT?!"

Amanda looks at me for a second, then just laughs. And keeps laughing. She’s laughing so hard she can’t breathe.

"Hey. HEY. FIRST OF ALL, HOW DARE YOU?! SECOND OF ALL, I AM OFFENDED. AND THIRD OF ALL, HOW  _DARE_ YOU?!" I turn to the other Dads. "...You may have a point."

Hugo sighs. "As much as well all want it, I don't think it's as important to be a Cool Dad as it is to be a Good Dad. We can't all be best friends with our kids. It just doesn't work. I mean...look at me and Ernest."

"Ernest and I," I correct quietly, earning a snort.

"Our jobs as Dads is to make sure our kids turn out alright," he continues.

Mat nods. "Yeah, you're right. But it'd be nice to have it both ways."

Hearing this makes me a bit nervous. Amanda and I have always gotten along well, but what if there's a time when that isn't the case. Will that be college? Or is it already happening now that she's getting ready to leave?

Hugo smiles at me, drawing me out of my crisis. "Don't let us eat up your time Danny. Go meet some of the other people around the neighborhood."

I look across the way at Robert, without his jacket, and Brian, chattering over drinks. Brian excuses himself to get something, which causes Robert to look around, catching me staring. It's the Coffee Spoon all over. Robert has no shame in devouring me with his eyes. He's looking at me like he did before, only it's more intense. He has some kind of chip in his hand, coated in a of creamy looking dip, and he's eyes convey that he wants me badly. To make a show, he licks off every trace of dip from the top half of the chip, moving his tongue in a way I haven't seen anyone do before. The chip is  _completely_ clean after a minute, and he pops it into his mouth like nothing is wrong. There's a bit of dip on the corner of his mouth that he wipes away with his finger, then slid the first limb of his finger inside his mouth to lick off the rest. Then, the show is over and he winks at me. I'm surprised that no one else has seen his little show, but everyone is more preoccupied with whatever they're doing that they had no idea what just went down.

Brian comes back a moment later, following Robert's eyes. When he sees me, he smiles and waves me over. It would be rude to walk away when he's clearly gestured me over, so I walk over to them.

Brian is all smiles as I approach, clapping me on the back a little harder than I'm used to. "Danny! How the heck are ya? Settling into the neighborhood alright?"

"It's been a little slow, but I'm doing fine. I got the living room in order at least." And that's about all to be done for the next week.

"That's great to hear! I've been doing some living room work as well. Finally go the 50'' in there. The Game looks great in high def."

For a moment, I feel a flare of jealousy. But...it feels like he's trying to show off what he can do in his home. In his den. And my instinct doesn't allow me to be too upset about it when it seems like he just wants to be a provider. I'm not entirely sure that's what he's doing, but its the only logical explanation. I don’t think he’s trying to be rude.

Brian turns to Robert. "Danny, have you met Robert yet?"

Robert regards me over his whiskey. His eyes dare me to tell Brian what transpired if I wanted to. Like he wanted Brian and the other Alphas to know he tasted me first. But I don't want anyone to know about that.

"We've met," I say simply, not wanting Brian to know anything more.

Robert plays along, taking a sip of his whiskey. "Very nice seeing you again."

I don't reply. I don't really know how to. That night was so weird, but I wanted it so much. I could’ve easily said yes and had sex with him, but that wasn’t right of me.

Brian thankfully picks up the conversation. "We were just talking about my most recent camping trip. Spent a night out in the woods with Daisy and Maxwell. She's definitely an outdoorsy one-even caught her first fish!"

"Was it a big one?" I ask, genuinely curious. My dad used to fish and he loved showing off his catches. My mom hated it at first, but eventually let him have it since he used to be so proud of himself.

"I can show you a big one anytime you want," Brian says, and I almost spit out the carrot I took a bite of.

Neither one of them acknowledge what was just said. Robert is smiling and Brian just looks proud. "It's good to see you taking your daughter out like that," Robert says before taking another sip of whiskey. Man, he could give Mary a run for her money with how he drinks.

"I-It's really nice that she loves the outdoors," I say, the only thing that comes to mind. I'm still reeling over what Brian just said, but if no one is acknowledge what was said, I'll leave it alone. "Amanda loves being inside, but she's very creative. She prefers being inside to work on her pictures. She won a local competition for her art so...that's more her thing." I turn to Robert. "Do...do you have kids that like going outside?"

"No," Robert answers stiffly. "Even if I did, we wouldn't go camping. Not after what happened last time."

I'm almost afraid to ask what happened last time. But I'm curious and I feel that Brian is too. "W-What happened?" 

Robert takes a long sip of whiskey, his eyes regretful. "Well, ol Johnnyboy and me were out in the backcountry. Johnnyboy's a strong kid, met 'im in my army days. Comes from Kansas. They build 'em tougher out there. Anyways, things so south pretty quickly. Johnnyboy breaks his ankle when the rope bridge snaps." His grip on his glass tightens. "You could see te bone popping out though the skin. Johnnyboy's screaming now. Crying for his mama. Losing blood. We're two days out from the next living soul and there I am with my dear friend bleeding out in front of me. I'm able to dress the wound, but now I gotta fireman carry a 6 foot, 180 pound man over some of the toughest terrain I've ever been in." He takes a drink of whiksey, though he does it very slowly. Brian and I are horrified, but we know there's more to this terrifying story. "I won't lie to you: there were moments during those two days when I thought about leaving ol Johnnyboy. But you build a bond with your brothers in arms. And that bond never breaks. I got that boy back to civilization. But I lost some of me out there. I guess...that's just camping for you."

I think Brian dropped his plate out of shock. The carrot I was eating just feels like mush in my mouth, and the imagery I'm getting right now is making me nauseous. Seeing  _bone_? No wonder Robert doesn't go camping.

Robert takes another long sip of whiskey, though the smile on his face slowly breaks down my guard. "I'm just kidding. My friend John and I went inner tubing down a river and he lost a flip flop. Miss that kid."

"You..." I don't even know what to say.

Robert's face suddenly turns serious. "Or am I kidding?"

"Robert," Brian says, nodding in my direction.

Robert laughs. "No. I am kidding."

Amanda and Daisy barrel up to us, laughing. Daisy is holding a paper plate in front of her like a steering wheel, while Amanda is pretending to hold onto something.

"We gotta get off the haunted truck!" She ducks down, pretending to dodge some unseen force.

Amanda pulls at something at her side, then gasps. "Oh no! The ghost locked the doors! Quick! Hit the emergency escape button!"

Daisy looks confused, turning back to look at Amanda. "But..trucks don't have emergency escape buttons."

"Uhh...then...hit the brake I guess? And then we'll get out the truck. The imaginary truck." She pretends to look around cautiously. "Anyways, we're safe from the ghosts, but how will we ever survive this Arctic tundra?" She grasps Daisy by her shoulders and looks her right in her eyes.. "Daisy, you might have to eat me. Are you prepared to do that?"

Daisy nods, her eyes completely serious. "I'm prepared to do anything to survive."

Amanda grins. "That's cold blooded. I like that."

"Although, I'm not sure I have the material required to cook you properly."

Robert suddenly looks very interested. "You know, that reminds me of the last time I went skiing."

"Robert," Brian says nervously.

I feel the same way. I don't know if I could handle another story like that.

Brian turns to Daisy and Amanda, who carefully continue their game, though they pretend to huddle together for warmth.

"Wait a second. Are you guys...playing...Long Haul Ice Road Paranormal Ghost Truckers?"

Daisy nods excitedly. "Yeah!"

"Amanda and I love that show!" We could probably quote every episode from the first three seasons by heart.

"It's the best! Especially that episode where Callum hides Flynt's keys and-"

"-Flynt retaliates by breaking an ancient cursed urn and sending the spirit after him, yeah!" I'm so glad Brian watches the show too. Most people don't and I feel like people judge me when I mention that I do. "It's such quality reality television."

Robert nods in agreement. "I don't watch a whole lot of television, but I do enjoy that show. That, and war documentaries."

Wow, that does not surprise me.

Amanda gets serious again. "Alright Daisy. I found is a couple of bugs. They're gonna make a great meal. Lots of protein. Gonna keep us from starving out here in this harsh, icy wasteland."

Daisy looks over to the table with all the food and snacks. "But there's a whole table of food right over th-"

"Daisy, it's a game. We're playing pretend. It's what kids do. Live a little." She gives Daisy a handful of gummy worms from the snack table, and they both chew them with mock disgust. Daisy even pretends to gag, then smiles once she swallows. "Let's go find kindling for a fire!"

"Cool! But, not an actual fire."

"Because we're playing pretend?"

"Now you're getting it!"

She takes Daisy by the hand and run off, but not before grabbing more gummy worms for food.

Brian watches them go, a fond smile on his face. "I've never seen Daisy get along with someone so fast."

"Well, Amanda's always had a way with kids. If her passion wasn't art, she'd probably do something in childcare."

"That's...kind of amazing. Daisy doesn't really get along with kids her age. She just...she kind of keeps to herself. Her teachers say she spends every recess in the library. I think the other kids are intimidated by her intelligence."

"They might be jealous of it. I mean, Daisy probably never has to worry about a test or getting a bad mark; most kids usually struggle to keep a B or a C. It's likely no one tries to get along with her, and she just likes her solitude. I don't blame her, but I can see where she's coming from. I think solitude just gets lonely sometimes and it takes someone older whose been through it all to be a mentor to the childishness. Amanda is probably exactly what Daisy needs." I remember my own childhood, the few friends I did have. It was partly due to my overprotective parents, but I only had a few friends. It was really lonely, so when I met Craig, he was exactly what I needed.

Brian scratches his neck. "Well, since they're getting along so well, maybe we should try to put together a little play date for them?"

They  _do_ seem to be getting along very well. The thought of being in Brian's home was scary, especially if he wanted them to get together this week. I would not be comfortable being close quarters with him like that. Still, I put on a smile. "Yeah. That'd be nice."

"Well, I don't want to take up too much of your time. Go meet some of the other fellas!" His smile turns nervous. "Just...don't be afraid to come back. You...you're really nice to be around. Maybe you're what I need."

That last part was said a little too low, but I caught it anyways. Brian has walked away to get more food, leaving me with Robert, who still has his glass of whiskey. Robert licks excess whiskey off his upper lip and smirks at me. "Even though the food here is pretty good, I'd still love to eat you."

The way he says that makes me shiver. I turn, spotting Joseph chatting with the guy from Dead, Goth and Beyond by the grill. I quickly walk over to them, feeling Robert's eyes following me the whole way. They're in the middle of a conversation, but don't seem to mind my presence.

"So, I'm curious. Can you walk me through why you had your house painted black?"

"Where do I even start? The house stays warmer in the winter, it provides an artistic contrast to the rest of the neighborhood, and it compliments the crimson interior perfectly," the manpire explains as if it's simple. 

"It's definitely an...interesting choice," Joseph says, trying to stay polite.

"Thank you. I'm very proud of my abode." He seems to notice me, as does Joseph.

"Danny!" He looks way too happy to see me. "I was just having a conversation with Damien here about his...aesthetic design decisions."

Damien regards me up and down with a warm, but critical eye. I try not to do the same, but I take in his scent once again. I'm hit with a strong, flowery scent, though lavender overpowers most of it. It's not overbearing like anyone else I've met, and he smells clean. And not an artificial clean like Joseph, but a nice clean. He takes my hand and bows. "How do you do? I don't believe I've had the pleasure." He kisses the back of my hand, making me blush a little. Joseph doesn't seem to happy, but neither of us pay attention to it.

"I think I saw you in Dead, Goth & Beyond the other day." He was arguing about his...cape I think.

Damien's face turns a bright red. "I...must apologize for my behavior on that day. You see, I take the Goth lifestyle very seriously, and to be caught in a ruse by such a corporation as Dead, Goth & Beyond was profoundly frustrating indeed. I hope you know that while my anger may have been justified, it was no such way for a gentleman to act."

"It's alright man."

That seems to make him feel better. "Do tell me about yourself. Are you new to the area?"

"Yeah. My daughter and I actually just moved here. She was the one I took to Dead, Goth & Beyond."

Damien smiles charmingly and wow does it look good on him. The grimace I saw in the store made him look intimidating, but his smile was soft and kind. I liked it. "Very good taste on her part. Does she partake in the Goth lifestyle?"

"I'm not sure...hang on, I'll check."

"I'm sorry, check wha-"

"HEY AMANDA! WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF GOTH?"

"I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY TRY TO FALL UNDER ANY ONE SPECIFIC LABEL, BUT I GUESS IF I HAD TO CHOOSE I WOULD MORE DESCRIBE MYSELF AS A TWEE HIPSTER WITH SOME NORMCORE LEANINGS. BATS ARE COOL THOUGH!"

I turn back to Damien. "There ya go."

"Pity. There aren't many who do."

Joseph draws my attention with a soft growl, almost as if he doesn't like being ignored. Damien doesn't seem to notice it though, and it frightens me that no one seems to notice his change in mood. However, his smile is still in place, all bright and inviting. "Are you enjoying the party so far?"

Be a little better if you didn't hit on me but perfect. "Oh definitely. Thanks so much for inviting me. It's nice being in a place where everyone is so welcoming and friendly."

Amanda once again makes an appearance. "I also like the Lost Boys a lot. Really good movie. Does that count as Goth?"

Damien chuckles. "That it would my dead. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting. Damien Bloodmarch, at your service." He finishes with a flourish and a bow, producing a single red rose and offering it to Amanda, who takes it with a blush and curtsies in return.

"My, do you know how to treat a lady." She wants to say something else, but she freezes when Joseph's twins are suddenly behind her.

"Hello Amanda."

I'll admit it. I jump about two feet in the air when they just...appear.

Amanda looks just as uncomfortable as I feel. "H...Hey..."

"Won't you come play with us?"

I fucking knew we were in The Shining.

"Uhhh..." Amanda looks to me for help, but I take a tiny step away. I can't shine, so I can't fight them off if they decide to attack. She looks at Joseph, but he's clearly used to this.

The twins get close to Amanda. "Come play with us. Forever."

Joseph sighs. "Guys, enough with the creepy twin schtick. We've talked about this."

Christian and Christie slowly back away. I check and make sure my heart is still beating and that I'm still in the backyard. I am not taking any risk, not when they walk and talk in sync like that.

"Where do you think they got that from?" Mary asks, a new glass of wine in hand. Does she ever stop drinking wine? And why does it seem like she always has the same amount of wine? And how is she not drunk yet?!

Joseph looks genuinely confused. "I uh...don't know."

Mary takes a long sip of wine, nearly draining it in one swallow. "I think I might have taped over a Veggietales VHS with the Shining. Who knows?"

I KNEW IT! I KNEW THIS WAS THE SHINING!

Mary takes another sip of wine, not at all concerned with her children mimicking classic horror movies.

Joseph carefully schools his expression into neutrality. "Where's Crish?"

"Wasn't he with you?" 

"You...had him a moment ago." He looks like he's staring to lose patience.

"He's probably stuffing dirt in his mouth. He'll be alright. Toddlers are pretty resilient." She tip her glass to me. "Ain't my first time to the rodeo. It's my fifth. I've squeezed four little-"

"Mary," Joseph interrupts before Mary can get vulgar. "Sweetheart, would you do me a favor a please find Crish? That would be great."

"I'm sure he's fine."

Oh no. Is this about to be one of those awkward married people fights where they both falsely pretend to be nice and loving but they're really pissed at each other? Because I hate those. It always really weird and you want to walk away but you don't want to be rude so you have to let them fight it out even though they're drawing a crowd and everyone can tell something's up. Those are super weird.

"Mary."

"Okay geez."

Mary finishes her wine and wanders off. I'm pretty sure she's going to get more wine instead of looking for her child, but it's not my place to say anything. Joseph turns back to me, his face lighting up. I didn't notice how tense he was when Mary was around, although now he was really happy. 

"Dad, can we go now?"

Damien smiles at the teen. "Ah Lucien. Have I introduced you to Danny yet?" He gestures to me, making Lucien roll his eyes.

GERARD! "I remember you."

"Whatever."

"That's no way for a young man to speak to his elders! Be polite," Damien scolds.

Lucien bows. "Whatever, sir." He bows again.

Amanda snorts. "I like him."

Lucien's lip turn for a moment, then his neutral face of displeasure is back. "Mr. Christiansen, may I have a veggie burger..sir?"

"Coming right up bud. Are you vegetarian?"

"Yup," Lucien answers, looking a little interested in the buttons on Amanda's jacket. Amanda is proud to show them off, and even shows off her wristbands.

"Make that two veggie burgers. Did you know that some people in the Victorian era were vegetarians? They described carnivorous-type people as 'Blood-lappers.'"

"Dad," Lucien groans.

"That's actually really interesting Damien." Joseph turns to the grill, moving two patties from a separate tray near the fire. Just a hint of a tattoo peeks out from underneath his sleeve. I can't believe I didn't notice it before. It looks like the bottom of an anchor.

"Whoa," Lucien breathes, also staring at the tattoo. "Is that a tattoo?"

Joseph nods, pulling up his sleeve a little more so we can all see it. "Yup. I wasn't always a youth pastor you know."

"That's so cool. Wanna see mine?"

"What?"

Lucien pulls back some rubber bracelets, revealing a lopsided triple six in black ink. "My buddy gave me a stick and poke tattoo last week. I think it's healing up pretty good."

"Lucien!" Damien turns a little red, but then immediately calms himself. "We'll talk about this later."

"That's pretty cool," Joseph says, easily diffusing the situation. "What's the significance of the tattoo?"

Lucien shrugs. "I dunno...I just though it looked sick."

"Well, in my opinion, the only reason you need to get a tattoo is because you want one. Careful though, that number carries weight."

He really is a cool pastor. I'm impressed with how he handled that. "They're both better than my tattoo," I say.

Four pairs of eyes turn to me, Amanda's the most curious. "You have a tattoo?"

Oh right. I never told her.

I nod, pulling down the side of my pants just a bit to expose my hip. Damien gasps and turns away, face flushed, while Joseph is very interested, bending down and getting way too close for comfort. Amanda's eyes are wide and Lucien looks impressed. It's not much, just four circles that decrease in size, surrounded by four large cones in the cardinal directions, with four smaller cones going diagonally. The middle circle is colored in with orange ink, while the space between the first and second circles with red ink. The cones are also colored in, making it look like a bright sun.

"I got that back in college. It was a dare from Craig to get a tattoo, and I decided to get something that was really important. It's a symbol for courage," I explain.

"Sick," Lucien says appreciatively. "Got any more?"

"Yeah Pops. Got any more tattoos?" Amanda asks, folding her arms.

I do actually. "Uh...I have one on my back...and one on my other hip. That one wasn't a dare but I wanted them to match, so I got one that's a symbol of light. The one on my back is...actually really big. It covers my entire back." I show them my other hip, where a tattoo of something that looked akin to a snowflake rested on my skin. "All of them were done in college. Because I was impulsive." I fix my clothes before Joseph decides to jump me here and now and before Damien combusts. His face is so red he looks like he just might explode.

Joseph returns to the grill, though it's clear he wanted to observe my tattoos more. "And without further ado, let's work some magic."

Finally! Finger food can only satisfy a man for so long.

Joseph closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and gets to work. With the greatest of ease, he sets patties on the grill, flourishing as he flips his spatula in the air. It's easily some of the best grill work I've ever seen. "You think this is my first time in front of a grill?" He's working faster now, effortlessly tossing cheese onto patties and perfectly grilling onions on the side. One after another, the Dads take notice and crowd around Joseph to admire his masterful technique. 

"You probably don't know this Danny, but Joseph's known around here for his grillmanship," Craig tells me.

"He's un-grill-ievable."

I snort.

"I've tried to get on his level, but I just can't ketchup."

I'm going to lose my mind if this continues.

"Lettuce keep studying. He has a Rare quality about him."

I want to contribute, but Amanda's glaring so harshly at me I feel like I'll wake up without eyebrows tomorrow, and I pride myself on my eyebrow game.

"Mustard we keep talking about this? Can't we just appreciate the artist?"

"I've never seen him make a mis-Steak."

I clench my fists. The urge to Dad joke is strong. But I want to keep my eyebrows.

"Okay, we need to stop. This is getting too...cheesy."

"We should relish in this moment," I add, ignoring Amanda's hiss in my direction.

"PLEASE. STOP." She and all the other children at the part boo at the glorious display of puns in unison.

"Alright guys, the food's ready! Please form an orderly barbe-queue."

I couldn't help the loud snort, having to cover my mouth with my hand to stop a loud laugh from leaving me. Amanda groans and throws her hands up, stomping over to get a cheeseburger.

Everyone grabs their food and sits around to just hang out. Robert and Joseph are far too close to me, and they're glaring at each other, and Craig who is sitting right beside me. The smell of the food is greatly overpowering the smell of all the alphas, but it's not enough to take the dizziness away. I scoot closer to Craig, the only person who has a scent I'm so used to, I don't even notice it's there.

It's a little while later and all the kids have calmed down, while all of the Dads are just hanging out watching them. "Man, it's so wild that everyone lives in the same cul-de-sac." I still can't get over the close proximity of all these people together like this.

"Kinda nice, isn't it?" Mat sighs wistfully. "It feels like there's a really community here. Totally helps when you're just a single Dad trying to raise a kid."

Craig claps me on the shoulder, which I think has seen enough pain for the day. Between him and Brian, my shoulder can't catch a break. "We're happy to have you here man. I think you're gonna like this neighborhood a lot!"

Yeah, until another pack chases me.

"Plus, Amanda seems to be getting along with all of the kids," Hugo adds. "If she decides to get into the babysitting game, she'll really make a killing."

"Please, don't give her the idea. You'll never see your kids again."

They laugh, but I'm being serious. Amanda loves kids, and would take the opportunity to make money off of them.

"Hey, why don't you add us all on DadBook?"

"I have no idea what that is," I say honestly. I was never one of those people to excessively use social media and the only exposure to trends and memes was through Amanda.

Joseph pulls out his phone and shows me the icon for some kind of app. "It's a great social network for Dads to keep in touch with each other. We're all on it, so if you ever need to reach out to anyone, that's the simplest way to do it."

I always thought texting was the simplest way to reach out to someone but I've been wrong before. "I'm a little old-fashioned, so that's why it's new to me."

"Don't worry Pops. I'll help you figure it out," Amanda says. 

* * *

The rest of the BBQ goes as smoothly as it can, though with everyone trying to have some sort of contact with me or making sly comments, it's kinda weird for me. I'm not used to attention like this, and I hate how it's stopping me from enjoying myself. The only thing that makes it a little worse is when Amanda has to break up a fight between Carmensita and those weird twins. They were either trying to use her for a ritual or trying to steal her soul, I'm not sure which.

Amanda and I walk back to our place as the sun sets over the neighborhood. Joseph was a little too handsy with me when I told him I was leaving, his hand brushing against my lower back. He thanked me for coming and for showing him my tattoos, which I now realize was a mistake. Regardless, I had fun for what it was worth.

"Pretty fun party, don'tcha think? I learned my own father has tattoos and isn't letting me get one." She thinks for a moment. "You have another one that I need to see by the way."

"Amanda, if you ace your last few months of school, I'll pay for your first tattoo."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Amanda cheers. "Yes!" She pumps her fists and jumps around, making quite a scene, but I don't stop her. She's happy.

After a moment, she calms down, but she's still grinning triumphantly. "Well hey: at least you met some other cool Dads! You should hit them up on DadBook!"

"Excuse me, but you laughed at me when I asked if I was cool," I point out.

"I had an audience. I had to play it up for my audience."

"Whatever." I think about her last statement. "Maybe I will. As long as you keep your promise to help me out with it. I still don't understand social media."

"I got chu Pops."

* * *

Amanda and I arrive home with an empty tray. The fruit tray went over really well, though I think Joseph ate all of the pineapple and Amanda and I ate all of the melon. But it still went over really well. If that's how it went, I guess I can make a few more it.

"Any big plans for this evening?" I ask Amanda, who hasn't changed out of her day clothes.

"Actually, yeah. I'm going out with some friends."

This is news to me. "O-Oh." She normally tells me when she's going out. Maybe it just slipped her mind?

"Is that okay? Do you...do you want me to stay in?"

"No," I say, pushing down on my paranoia. "No. Its fine. Just...keep me posted. And be home before midnight." Amanda was smart. She hadn't shown any signs of being affected by today, and her friends wouldn't just let her go off and be reckless. She would be okay. "And please be home before midnight."

"You got it."

"And be careful. There are crazy people out there."

"I will."

"Make good choices."

"Of course."

"And don't be shy about calling me if you need anything."

Amanda rolls her eyes. "Dad, you're not gonna do the thing where you wait silent for me to come home in the living room with all the lights on, are you?"

"What? No! I've never done that and I will never do that." I'll leave the living room light on so that she doesn't trip over anything when she comes in. And probably the kitchen light so in case she comes home hungry. And the hall light so that she can find her way to her room.

"Okay. Do you have plans tonight?"

Define plans...because I had some, but now they're ruined. "There's a Master Baker marathon tonight and I want to make sure that Dalton makes it to the finals. The kid's got talent. The way he bakes is amazing." I wave her off. "Have fun."

"Alright. See ya later Pops!"

I watch Amanda hop into the car and drive off into the night. I fight back the urge to call her and tell her to come home. It's my fault for the paranoia. Just...with this week going on and what happened before...I just don't want anything to happen to her, or for her to do anything rash. I hope she's okay...

I settle down and watch Master Baker, rooting that Dalton, a home chef that's Amanda's age, makes it to the finals. He has never had any training other than just...doing it, and I want to see him succeed.

Dalton is really amazing, but when it comes down to making Crème Brûlée, he cracks under the pressure. I'm at the edge of my seat as the timer counts down, giving him only five minutes to prefect his dish. When the clock hits, Chef Nathan calls for Dalton to present his dish, pissing off that asshole Aaron who though he ran the show.

I'm getting a bit teary eyed when I realize that I had been watching these for a while. Checking my watch, I realize I had watched six whole episodes and heard no word from Amanda. It's almost midnight and I told her to be back. I should text her to be sure.

_Hey Manda. Everything alright?_

I head to the kitchen as I wait for a reply. Amanda usually keeps her phone in hand, so I'm sure she'll be quick to reply. Unless she's driving, because then she knows better. I almost want to bake a pie or some cookies so we can have a late snack, but I don't want to have my hands full and Amanda needs me. I take everything out, but I don't do anything with it. Not yet.

More time goes by and I check my watch, and then my phone. It's a little past midnight, and Amanda still hasn't replied, or called. She hadn't even read it yet! I'm very worried at this point. This is getting too similar to Alex...

_What's up?_

I'm halfway through the filling for the pie when I check my phone again. Half-past midnight and still no word. This is really worrying me. Amanda knows to check in with me. It's been too long.

I've made two pies, some cupcakes and a tray of cookies and Amanda isn't back yet. Damn it, why didn't I ask where she was going? Why didn't I ask who she was with? Why don't I know any of her friend's numbers? Why don't I know their full names? WHO ARE THE EMMAS?

_Amanda, I'm really worried. Please text me or call me or something so that I know you're okay._

I can't help but think of Alex. This is almost a direct parallel to what happened to him. What if I get a call soon to identify my daughter's body? I wouldn't be able to handle it if I had to do it again.

* * *

She's here! Oh god she's here! 

Amanda slowly opens the door and shuffles in, and while I'm happy she's back, I don't fail to notice the state she's in. She smells off and she has marks on her wrists, though she tries to pull her sleeves down to cover them. But I'm just so happy she's back that I look past them!

"Ooh, you've been baking." Amanda tries to head to the kitchen, but I block her path.

"Amanda, why didn't you answer me? I've been sitting here worried sick!"

Amanda pulls out her phone and checks. She and I both see the messages I've left, all unopened. Amanda winces. "Oh. Whoops. Guess I didn't see those." She still tries to head to the kitchen again, but I don't let her.

"This isn't a 'whoops' moment Amanda! You're home two hours after curfew, you didn't answer me, and you're just trying to brush it off!" I didn't mean to raise my voice, but I was thinking she'd been killed or something.

"Pops, I was fine!" She once again tries to leave.

"Amanda Ann!"

Amanda freezes and turns around. "Wow. We're doing middle names now?"

"Amanda, this is no joking matter! I've been losing my damn mind thinking you're hurt or dead in a ditch or you've been kidnapped! I was seconds away from calling the cops to find you and haul your ass back home!"

"Okay, Dad? You're seriously overreacting. This isn't going to become a thing when I'm in college, is it?"

"Who do you think you're talking to like that?! Amanda, you're making light of a serious issue!"

Amanda rolls her eyes, glaring at me. "Are you serious right now? Stop treating me like a child!"

"Stop acting like one! At least a child knows to do what they're parents tell them! How am I supposed to trust you to make good choices when you're not around when you can't even follow a simple instruction now?! How am I supposed to trust you out there during this time when you can't listen to me?!"

"Is that what this is about?! Just because you wouldn't be able to handle yourself out there doesn't mean I'd be the same! I'm not going to run off and fuck somebody like you would!"

I slam my fist down onto the counter, denting the marble below. Amanda jumps, but she doesn't back down. I can't believe she'd actually say something like that to me. Is that really how she sees me?

"Amanda," I say slowly. "You're grounded. I will drop you off at school once this week is up, and I will pick you up. You can't use the car for two weeks, and you're lucky I don't cut your phone off because you obviously don't know how to use it right."

"Dad, that's not fair-"

"It's not fair that you worried me Amanda! The last time someone didn't text me when I was worried about then, your father ended up dead!" I can't deal right now. I can't deal with this. Stress is running high, I'm wound up, and I might say something I don't mean.

Without bothering to clean up the mess I made in the kitchen, I head to my room, slamming the door behind me.

I'm overcome with exhaustion all of a sudden and I don't want to do anything else. Instead of my bed, I crawl into my nest and fall into a restless sleep.

* * *

I wake up the next morning and feel worse than before. Not just because my body feels heavy with heat, but because my heart is heavy from the argument with Amanda. I decide to make strawberry pancakes and some bacon for her as a peace offering and to keep myself occupied.

Amanda wanders into the kitchen after a while and tentatively takes a seat. She eyes the dent on the counter and sadly looks away. "Dad...I thought about what happened. I was totally out of line with what I said, and I was out of line for not letting you know I was alright. Papa's death was always a sore spot and I didn't even realize that I worried you so much. I can't tell you how sorry I am for doing that to you, for what I said to you, and for getting so pissy last night about it. You were just worried and...I get that. I was in the wrong. But I swear that I'll never do that again."

I push the plate over to her. "Amanda, I'm sorry too. I know I have to trust you, but I can't help but be paranoid. I'll try to loosen up, but the thought of losing you..." I don't even want to think about it. "Just...let me know alright?"

Amanda gets out her chair and wraps her arms around me, squeezing me tight. I hug back, feeling a little too emotional. I'm glad we're on better terms. "Hey, I'd eat those pancakes before they get cold."

"Are they strawberry?"

"Of course."

"You're the best." She sits down and scarfs down the pancakes and bacon in the time it takes me to clean up and make my own plate. By the time I've sat down to eat, she's already washed her plate and dried it.

Chuckling, I slide my phone across the counter. "So...I tried to set up DadBook, but...I'm hopelessly lost. Please help me." I've installed the app at least and made a log-in, but that's as far as I could get on my own.

Amanda laughs and picks up my phone. "Alright Pops. Let's get started."

* * *

I'm contemplating whether or not to bake again when my thoughts drift to Craig. I wonder what he's doing today. Amanda has to stay home now, so she has nothing to do, but even when I lifted her punishment, she still has nowhere to go. Maybe Craig can help me kill time.

_Hey bro-or should I say neighbor? Let's catch up like old times._

It doesn't take long for Craig to respond.

**_Bro! My man! Let's definitely hang soon! Might be a little different from our old weekend-long benders, but it'll still be fun._ **

I chuckle at the thought of our old days. I don't think I'd be able to survive another one of those. I'm too old for that now.

_What's the plan?_

**_The girls are at school and I'm gonna leave River with a sitter for a few hours. Wanna go for a run?_ **

I don't like running, but for Craig...for Craig I'd get out there and run a mile or two.

_That sounds like fun! I've been wondering what this new Craig is like._

**_Nothing like the old Craig. I'll get everything set up with the sitter and see you in 30._ **

Well, that was a plan. Thirty minutes would give me enough time to clean up and get ready, though I severely lack anything sporty to wear. I think I have compression pants somewhere, maybe an old tank top. I would be hesitant to wear what I want, but I'll be with Craig and he promised he would protect me. For once, I feel alright about going out.

I've just squeezed into my compression pants when Amanda walks into the kitchen, taking about six cookies from the batch I made and popping them into the microwave. I raise an eyebrow at her. "Cookies? Didn't you just get through strawberry pancakes an hour ago?"

She shrugs, pulling out a tub of ice cream. "I've been craving ice cream lately." She pulls her cookies out of the microwave and places three of them face up, scooping a large dollop of ice cream onto the other three, making three messy ice cream sandwiches. "Ta-da!" She picks one up and holds it out to me. "Want one?"

I shake my head. "I'm going running with Craig in..." I glance at my watch. "Around now actually. I shouldn't."

She takes a large bite out of one and sighs in content. "Man, this is hitting the spot."

"How dare you tempt me?" I turn away before the temptation to stay home and eat an ice cream sandwich outweighs running. And just in time, as the doorbell rings and I've no doubt that it's Craig.

"Hey man!" He greets cheerfully. "Ready to go?"

I nod, turning to Amanda. "I'll be back Amanda! No street crimes while I'm gone."

"I've got ice creams sandwiches! Nothing's gonna get me out this house!"

Craig and I laugh, and I shut the door behind me. "So, where are we going?"

"There's a really nice nature trail just past the park we can hit up. Since all the kids are in school, it should be empty," he explains as he pulls out a water bottle and hands it to me. "I figure we could take the trail all the way out."

"That actually sounds nice. Just, don't run too fast. I'm not in peak shape anymore."

Craig laughs and we head out.

* * *

The trail is beautiful. 

The path itself is well-worn, like many people have taken it before over the years and wore a deep trail for others to follow. The trees make a beautiful path through the woods, leaves falling onto the trail. There are spiderwebs that catch the sunlight just right, morning dew clinging to the delicate strands. I see bird nest after bird nest all throughout the trees and I want to bring Amanda here so she can take a picture of this.

"How did you find this?"

Craig is smiling as well, taking it all in. "It was Hazel who found it. She saw a bunny and chased it out here. We were all so in love with it that we run it together every now and then. I figured it would give us privacy and time for us, y'know."

We start at a light pace, the silence between us comfortable. I'm more interested in the scenery around us rather than the trail, but it is really nice that I'm with Craig instead of just sitting at home doing nothing.

We pick up our pace about twenty minutes in, now a little more intense than before, but not by much. We're jogging at this point, but nothing too heavy that makes me want to quit. Craig and I are talking about little things, like how our kids are doing in school and our jobs. Well, his job. I don't really have one, but I do have a prospect in mind.

"You want to open a bakery?"

I nod, smiling at the thought. "You know I've always loved baking, ever since college. I'm the calmest when I'm baking and I love it more than anything else. I guess it was one of my dreams that I never got to fulfill. But with Amanda off to college soon and the house being empty, I need to do  _something."_

"Your baking is probably the only thing that would break me from my regimen. I don't know how you and Amanda don't stay slim." He pats my stomach gently.

I can't help but laugh. "I have flab on me. Amanda can go through two whole pies and only gain a pound." I take a moment to reflect. I started baking when I was much younger because I had little else to do. I didn't have friends and I didn't date as much as other people did. Baking was the escape I needed. "But it's my passion and I want to go after it."

Craig slows his pace a little to think. "There  _is_ an abandoned storefront in the main shopping district of town. I don't know how much it goes for, but I'm sure you'd be able to turn it into something."

"That'd be amazing."

Craig and I lapse into silence once more, picking up the pace a little more. It wasn't too intense of a run yet, though I got a little bit ahead of him at one point. He didn't mind, staying at least one step behind me and letting me keep a good pace. Every once in a while, he'd overtake me and flash me a grin, which would push me to try and get ahead of him again.

Before I knew it, we were playing a game of tag, him taking turns and jumping over fallen logs while I tried to give chase. He was running faster than I could keep up with, going so fast he was basically a blue blur in front of me. He'd give me room to catch up, but then he'd be out of reach again and it would start all over. 

Then it changed.

I managed to  _just_ touch the back of his shirt, then veered off to the left where the trail got a little darker, the trees leaning in slightly and blocking off some sunlight. I could hear Craig's pounding footsteps behind me and it pushed me to run even faster. I don't know if he was doing it on purpose, but it was definitely motivating me to run faster.

Eventually, Craig managed to catch me, effortlessly grabbing me from behind and lifting me into the air in one stride. I admit it, I scream like a little girl since I wasn't expecting it, and Craig just laughs and holds me over his head like a war prize.

"VICTORY!"

"Craig, put me down! I was not ready for this!"

Craig just parades around with me in his arms, shouting with joy. I'm screaming with a bit of terror because he's  _still_ running with me held over his head. 

"CRAIG!"

He laughs, coming to a stop and setting me on the ground. I stumble a bit, disoriented, and end up falling to the ground. Craig lays down beside me as we both take precious minutes to catch our breath. I feel Craig staring at me and turn my head to face him. "What is it Craig?"

"It just...feels so nice to be with you again Danny. It's been so long."

"Yeah. Now you have kids, a coaching job, and a business!" I stare at the clouds peeking from the branches. "This is not the outcome I expected."

"Things have a habit of changing. For the better or worse is up for debate." He turns to look up at the sky as well. I can't discern what the look on his face means, though it seems like it's content. "I don't like that we lost contact. That killed me."

"I know. It was...weird not talking to you everyday. With everything going on, it was really weird. Every time I drove by a pizza place or a taco place, I thought of you. And every time I saw marinara sauce of course."

His laugh disturbs the birds around us, all of them flying off. A few stray feathers slowly float down to us. Craig catches one between his fingers and twirls it around. "It was like a second trademark."

This just feels so nice hanging out with him again. Even if my heart rate is skyrocketing right now, I like being here with him.

Craig and I relax in the grass for a while longer when Craig suddenly sits up, staring down at me contemplatively. "All these memories of us...all this time...what happened to us Danny?"

I look at a bird feather laying near me so I don't see his hurt expression. Every time I thought about it, I get upset. I had a true friendship with Craig. He was there for me when no one else was. He had my back. "Things changed, like you said. You got married and moved away, and I had a baby to take care of. Things weren't easy for us anymore."

He shakes his head. "In all honestly, I didn't even want to move. Smashley had contacts out in California, which is why we moved for the business. I thought we'd be perfectly fine staying where we were because the traffic was fine and it seemed like we'd have enough clientele to work with, but I didn't want to upset her and she swore it was a great opportunity for me. I wanted to please her so badly and make this thing work that I left my best friend." He looks angry all of a sudden. "She was just so damn  _jealous_  of you. I figured it out two months after we moved. She was scared of you, so scared that she forced me away because she thought that I would..." he sighs, flopping down beside me.

"She thought you would what?" I'm almost afraid to ask, but I need to know what she was trying to prevent. I had a sinking feeling I knew what it was. Smashley knew about  _us_  for a while, and while I got along with her, there was a part of her that hated the fact that Craig and I had messed around so much. I can understand why she'd hate me, but I don't get why she had to force Craig to move so far away. He wouldn't have an affair with me behind her back.

Or was that her fear?

Craig doesn't answer, instead rolling over until he's practically on top of me. I'm about to ask what he's doing, but he cups my face so gently that the words die on my lips. The gesture reminds me of the first night he asked me if I wanted him to help me out of my rut. He'd been holding back the whole night, and the fact that he  _asked_ me instead of just jumping me made me go silent. What he was doing right now was having the same effect: I'm speechless.

"Danny," Craig whispers, pressing me into the ground below. "Your scent...I remember that scent...it drove me wild." His other hand locks around my waist, keeping me pressed against him. His scent is overwhelming me, bringing me memories of all the times he was on top of me. The way his hips moved, his lips all over me, the way he could make me scream...all I could think about were those years when we'd tangle in the sheets to endure our heat and make it through mating season together. I'd walk into our room, smell his spiciness, and it was all downhill from there.

He's dry humping me now, his hips working against mine. I can feel his thick cock through his shorts, rubbing against my own rapidly hardening cock. His scent is everywhere, surrounding me, making my mouth water. Nothing else matters in this moment. I just want Craig to fuck me. Just like he did back in college. I want him to pin me and fuck me until I'm cross eyed.

Craig leans down, pressing his lips against my pulse point. It's gentle licks and nips at first, gradually evolving into hard bites and harsh sucks. His hand that was on my cheek shifts to my waist, his thumb tracing patterns on my hips. "C-Craig," I moan. I push against his chest, but it's like I don't really want to. It's been so long and my body seems to respond so readily to him, just like I used to. My arms lock around his neck, pressing him closer to me to just  _feel_ him. I can feel Craig's powerful arms lift me, wrapping my legs around his waist. His mouth is still on my neck, his teeth sinking deeper into my skin. It doesn't break skin, not yet, but it feels very close.

"Danny," he whispers again, licking the mark on my neck. "I want you."

I'd be lying if I said I didn't want him too.

* * *

That's how I ended up bracing against a tree for support while Craig's cock is buried so deep inside me that I can practically taste it.

He wastes no time in stealing my breath away, his mouth devouring mine and tongue working its way down my throat. His hands aren't still either, tearing off my shirt, yanking down my pants far enough to where he can push in. I'm already wet enough as it, so Craig only fingers me a little bit before he pushes in. I almost cum from the head of his cock pushing into me, but I manage to hold out. Craig seems just as eager as me, giving me a few minutes to adjust before he's pulling back and thrusting with so much force that spots dance in my vision. After that, he's like an animal, the only coherent thing out of his mouth were growls, grunts, and groans. I can't breathe, the breath leaving my body with every thrust.

"Danny," He groans into my ear. "You're so wet for me."

I'm a gasping, shuddering mess within minutes and Craig exploits that maliciously. Rough hands pull me back, impaling me on his cock, while his lips attack my neck. My back arches, my nails digging into the bark of the tree to find some kind of stability. I don't want to face-plant, but I can barely stand on my own two feet. His thrusts are just so rough I see stars, and I know it'll leave bruises. I don't mind and Craig doesn't care, iron grip forcing me against him. His lips attack my neck, avoiding  _that_ spot, nipping and licking at every other area.

Its just like back in college, only better. Back then, we had to work to figure out what the other liked. Now, it seemed like Craig had it all implanted in his memory. He’s hitting the right spots and he’s just so rough. Like he couldn’t contain himself any longer and just had to let it out. He’s so far gone that I think he’s speaking, but with how much he’s growling, I can’t make out what he says. 

"Shit!" It was the only thing that sounded remotely human. I feel Craig's hips stutter and his cock throb deep within me. I feel a snap inside of me and there's an overwhelming need to have him cum inside me. 

"F-Fill me..." I croak out, the strong desire to feel Craig's seed inside me almost too much to bear. Craig tightens his hold and grunts, his hips stuttering before he blows his load deep inside of me, grinding against my sweet spot as he rides out his orgasm. It makes me shiver in delight, and I don't need anything else as I shout into the woods, thick white ribbons of release coating Craig's hand. He's saying something, husky words that I want to hold onto, but darkness overtakes my vision and I pass out.

* * *

When I wake up next, I'm on Craig's back as he leisurely walks me home. There's a small little wet spot n his shoulder from where I no doubt drooled in my sleep, but I don't think Craig really minds; I know he can feel it, but he doesn't say a word. Most people would think I'd be embarrassed being carried like this, but it's really nice. His hoodie might smell like sweat and dirt, but it's mixed with a sharp masculine odor that I've always associated with Craig. It makes me want to fall back asleep, but I force myself to stay awake or else I won't sleep well tonight. 

"Finally awake?"

I'm glad he can't see me blush. "I uh..."

He laughs, the vibration from it making me shiver. For a moment, I feel arousal spike up, but age and exhaustion tapers it down. I don't think I'd be able to handle another round. Not with how sore I already feel.

"I had a good time," I say once my blush dies down. "I forgot how exhilarating running can be."

"It's great man! We should do this more often!"

Whether 'this' referred to running or hooking up, he didn't specify, and seemed to be waiting for my answer. I decided to assume he meant running, which I would enjoy doing with him if we could take that trail again. Or, any trail really. Running with him was a lot more fun than I had expected it to be, and not once did I think about walking home. Maybe this could take up my mornings when Amanda was at school.

"I'd love that," I finally answer.

* * *

Amanda doesn't say anything when I come in, content with polishing off the cookies I made the night before. "Amanda, I made like thirty."

"I know, but there were just begging to be eaten!" She has three left on her plate, one of which she offers to me. "Want?"

"No. Craig told me it's best to eat something lean and refuel after a run like that." I shake the sports bottle he gave me. "If I eat anything sweet, that'll defeat the whole purpose."

She raises an eyebrow, taking a big bite of the cookie. "What did he do to you?"

The question makes me freeze. C-Could she possibly know what-

"Since when do you care about running and fitness?!"

I'm so relieved. "I'll have you know that I used to work out a lot in college. I worked out more than Craig."

"Really?"

"Your surprised tone insults me." I root around for an old photo album and point to a picture of me and Craig during our second year. We're both a lot skinnier and had more hair, but you could tell I had more muscle mass than he did. "See? That's me, and that's Craig."

Amanda shakes her head. "I don't believe it." She pokes my stomach suspiciously. "What happened? You have so much...flub now."

"I fell off. I didn't lose all the baby fat from having a certain snarky teenager and years of baking and sampling what I baked caused it." Speaking of which, I never told Amanda about my dream. Since we're on the topic, it'd be good to bring it up to her. "Manda, about baking and stuff, I have something to tell you."

"Is it bad? Are you never baking again? Please tell me that's not it. I'd die if you stopped. My blood is literally pie filling and chocolate."

"No Amanda. Stop being dramatic." I roll my eyes. She did not get that from me. Alex was a total drama queen, and that’s the biggest part of him she inherited. "There was always something I wanted to do. How would you feel if I tried to open up a bakery?"

She looks at me very seriously. "Are you for real?"

"As real as I can be." I nod. "It's just...I have a passion I want to go after."

She quiet for another long moment. I feel like she’s going to laugh at me, and I brace myself for the humiliation. But then she wraps her arms around me and squeezes tight. "Then do it! Pops, I may have always bragged about your baking to my friends, and I’ve meant every word. It's a gift to this world, and the world needs to know it. If it helps, I'll even take off a year of school to help. Working at my dad's bakery would love pretty good on any application."

I shake my head. "No Amanda. As much as I love you, I don't want you giving up on my dreams so that I can fulfill mine. Of course I want you to help me out, but during the summer when you don't have to worry about school. You should worry about whether or not I include those pastries in your care packages."

Amanda looks horrified. "Y-You will, won't you? You won't deny me that, right?"

"Amanda, you'll be first to try any new recipe before I put it out."

She laughs, giving me a bright smile. "As it should be."

* * *

The next day, I wake up drenched in sweat, swimming in my own sticky mess. My sheets are drenched and I once again have the strong urge to lie here and not get out of bed. But if I want to open a bakery, I need to do my researching now, or else I'll fall behind. It'll be a stretch because I want to open it before Amanda leaves, giving me roughly four months to get it done. Lucky for me, I thought ahead and got some of the paperwork, I just haven't filled anything out. I don't have a location yet, and it'll take some work to get everything I need.

I roll out of bed, taking ten minutes to do a thirty second task, and know that I'll have to do laundry soon. But that bath is calling to me...

I fill the tub with ice cold water and peel my wet clothes off of my body. The water doesn't feel very cold, not to my heat riddled body, but it feels nice to take a soak and wash off all the sweat. I'll make breakfast and go into town once I'm done. Right now, I just want to relax here with an iced coffee or something...

Iced coffee? Wait, that's it!

Mat owns the Coffee Spoon by himself right? Maybe he'd be able to help me out, give me some tips on opening a business! And he did want to hang out with me, so he might be open to talk.

I soak in the tub for another fifteen minutes before toweling off and going over to my computer. Mat is thankfully online, so I type out a message.

_Hey man, it was great seeing you at the BBQ. If you aren't busy, there's a couple things I'd like to talk to you about. Can we hang?_

I'm stripping the sheets off my bed when his reply comes through.

**_Sounds like a good time. The store's empty right now, wanna come by?_ **

And the store was empty? This couldn't go any smoother.

_Cool. I'll be there soon._

I should let Amanda know I'm going out.

* * *

Amanda is on the floor of her room again, working on her old camera. It has a lot more potential now that she put more of it together; it looks like she'd be able to take some quality pictures. But she denies coming with me, so engrossed in her camera that she orders me to bring her a sugary drink so that she can keep her sugar levels up and get through the next phase in fixing her camera. She looks so focused, so I leave her alone and make a reminder to get her drink. I want her to be able to finish that camera; she could have something to take with her to college and show how creative she can really be.

I pull out some cupcakes I baked and put them in a container while I turn on the oven to warm a pie to take to Mat. Amanda might say they're delicious, but I need a second opinion before I make any drastic decisions. She's my daughter and while she's brutally honest, she also tends to exaggerate, and I don't want that to be the case. No use opening a bakery in the first place if nothing tastes good. So maybe Mat can do a little taste test and give me his thoughts. Hopefully he gives me an affirmative. Then I'll really know this was the right choice.

Once everything is finished and I look decent and not soaking in my sweat, I load up my goods and head down to the Coffee Spoon.

* * *

I'm self-conscious when I step out of the car; at least five people turn to look at me and one guy falls off his bike staring at me. Two women gasp and begin to approach, while a guy and his friend stumble over one another to try and make their way over to me. I don't want to draw any more attention to myself, so I quickly duck into the Coffee Spoon before anything happens.

Wow, he wasn't kidding. There's literally no one here! And it doesn't look like anyone's been here all morning! Poor Mat is behind the counter, typing away on his phone. None of the coffee machines are running and I don't smell coffee in the air. I feel bad for him.

"Slow day?" I ask as I approach the counter and set my things down.

He puts his phone away and sighs. "Yeah. Usually the morning rush is still going right now, but only about three people came in. No one's been in after that." He glances down at the packages on the counter. "Brought me a pick-me-up?"

"You could say that." I open each container and set out the pastries. "You see, I want to open a bakery but I have no knowledge on how to do so. I was hoping that you could give me some help."

"I don't see why not. What do you need help with?"

"A-all. All of it." I laugh nervously. "I have some of the paperwork, but not all of it. And a source told me about a potential location, but I also don't know much else about it. And then there's a bunch of codes and stuff that I have no idea how to approach, so I was hoping for some tips or advice or...anything to help me get started."

"My wife did a lot of the business aspect, but I think I can help." He reaches for a cupcake. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all. I kinda needed you to taste test anyways." I wring my hands nervously as Mat takes a bite of the chocolate cupcake I made, hoping that he likes it. I don't know how I'd take a negative answer.

Mat swallows and his eyes go wide. "Whoa, you made that from scratch?"

I nod. This looked like a positive sign. "Y-Yeah. Amanda and I are major chocoholics, so I turned that love into...that cupcake."

He takes another bite, nearly finishing the whole thing. "These are really heavy on the chocolate, but really good! They're...they're like a chocoholic's dream."

"Mind if I take that name then?" I tease. It had a really nice ring to it. "I haven't named anything yet, but I like that one."

"I usually name things after bands and artists, but I do like the name." He looks like he wants to take another.

"Mat, go ahead. I want you to try everything."

"Awesome!" He happily takes a vanilla cupcake and digs in.

Mat and I spend the next couple of hours talking about my potential bakery, and all the aspects of it. He explains to me that it's going to be hard in the beginning, and that I really am pushing it trying to open before Amanda goes off to school. We talk about all the ins and outs, including health regulations, zoning policies, and even equipment basics. I had no idea that any of that was going to be major, but it was really helpful that he took the time to point everything out to me. He even went as far as to pulling out some old paperwork from when the Coffee Spoon first opened and explained some stuff to me. While he ate cupcakes of course. At first, he kept mindlessly eating them, but afterwards, he couldn't help himself.

"You're trying to make me fat," Mat jokes as he takes what he swears is his last cupcake. He's eaten about five right now, and he's starting on his sixth. He hasn't touched the pie yet, but I know it's only a matter of time. "That's what this is, isn't it?"

"You kept reaching for more," I point out. "You didn't have to keep eating them."

"I had to taste each one to make sure they were all..." he searches for the right word. "...I'm at a loss, but I had to make sure they were tasty."

"Doesn't that mean you have to try the pie as well?"

"I know you want me to say yes, but I'm very tempted to say no."

He doesn't stop me from cutting a piece for each of us, subtly nudging me to cut his slice a little bigger than mine. I don't say anything to him, just let him enjoy the pie.

"You know, if you really want to get the word out, how about a proposition?"

I look up from my slice of pie. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, how about I set them up in here?" He points to an empty display case at the far end of the counter. "I need to have more baked good in here anyways, so how about I tell people I'm considering a new baker and let them buy some? I'll let you set the price for them and everything, and I'll give you whatever profits they make."

Is he for real? "Would you really do that?"

"Sure." He shrugs. "I don't see why not. You've got potential to make a great thing here. People need to see that, so I'll help you get the word out." He winks at me. "My only price is that you bake more stuff for me to take home." He reaches for another cupcake, but I slap his hand away. "Ow!"

"You had six cupcakes, a slice of pie, and now you want another? What happened to you not wanting to get fat?"

"They're irresistible! I can't help it!" He quickly snatches another cupcake and bites into it.

He's like a child including smudge of icing on the corner of his mouth that he forgot to wipe. Parental instincts kick in and I move to wipe if off with my thumb, though I don't realize I reach all the way across the counter to do so. I do come to my senses when Mat stiffens, face flush with embarrassment and I'm now aware of how this might look. "Y-You had...icing."

"R-Right," he stutters.

It's quiet for a moment or two, and I move to pull my hand away, but Mat catches my wrist. He licks the icing off of my thumb, the action much more innocent than when Robert did it with the chips and dip. Mat is acting normal, but I can tell he's beginning to get heated. His scent is beginning to permeate the air, but not in a way that's forcing me to my knees. It's more like he's...beckoning me. 

"Can't let it go to waste," Mat murmurs, making sure my thumb is completely clean. He reaches for another cupcake, grinning at me.

* * *

"M-Mat! That's not where i-icing goes!"

Mat only chuckles, lowering his mouth and engulfing me once more. His tongue dances over my length, licking up all traces of icing he could find. He has this smirk on his face that I didn't even think he'd be capable of making, yet here he was, eyes sinful and lips still wrapped around my cock. His tongue is rough and wet against the underside of my cock, the smoothness of his piercing foreign on my sensitive skin. He sinks down, one hand reaching around to grip my thigh and throw it over his shoulder, the other tucking around the base of my cock to hold me still straight. I severely doubt that there's any icing left, but I doubt that Mat will listen. Instead, I shift my hips a bit, muffling a moan as Mat takes me deeper and gives a harsh suck. My thighs clench and my toes curl, the feeling  of his hot mouth around me heavenly. 

"Mat...shit...slow down."

He chuckles again, the vibrations sending shivers down my spine. The odd bump in his tongue from his piercing keeps me on edge, the contrast between the rapidly heating metal and his mouth a nice combination. My hand shoots down and grasps onto his dreads, threading my fingers through the dark strands. Mat hums around me at the touch and continues sucking, now stroking along with his mouth and ending each stroke with strong suck to the tip of my dick. It’s too much. I feel heat building at the base of my cock. "Mat! Mat, wait!" My chest is heaving, I'm try to gasp for air but I can't. Mat is squeezing my ass and pulling me forward, swallowing down further as I cum. I yank at his locks as a tidal wave rips through me, shouting his name into the empty store.

Mat pulls off very slowly, scraping his teeth against my skin and giving little licks to make sure nothing drips back down. He spends a little extra time sucking on the tip before pulling off with a wet pop and straightening up. He licks his lips with a smile, much too innocent to be resting on his face after what he just did. How could one man be this cute after giving a blowjob?

Mat suddenly blushes, shifting uncomfortably. The confidence from before is gone, replaced with that awkward Mat I've seen before. He unbuckles his belt slowly, thick pierced cock springing forth. "I...You were...Do you mind if I...I don't need-"

"Mat." I pull my legs back invitingly. "I don't mind."

Mat breathes a sigh of relief, pushing his fingers into me. I'm already wet with slick as it is, so there's only a slight sting when Mat pushes two fingers into me. He's very cautious; even though I feel the urgency, he's making sure he doesn't hurt me. Every time I wince, he bites his lip and looks worried. I have to keep assuring him that I'm okay, and that he can keep going. His fingers slid in and out smoothly, grazing against my prostrate and stretching me deliciously.

Finally, Mat seems satisfied and pulls his fingers away, stroking his cock a couple of times before lining up with my hole. He presses in, though he stops immediately after the head is in. "I'm too wound up. I don't need much more than this." He thrusts very shallowly, hand furiously working the shaft of his cock while he pushes. I don't know what it is, but watching Mat lose himself like this is arousing, and I reach my own hand down to stroke myself. Mat's head is thrown back, mouth parted to gasp.

"F-Fuck Danny. I-I'm gonna cum," he rasps. "Oh fuck." His hand works faster, his cock throbbing furiously. I can see the thick, purple vein running up his shaft, twitching and pulsing with every stroke. Then he starts to cum, a strangled moan leaving his throat with every pump. Mat pushes himself deeper inside of me, burying his cock to the hilt as he cums. The feeling of his cock, and all the piercings lining it, pushes so deep and feeling his cum sends me over the edge, tearing my orgasm from me. 

Spent, Mat collapses, catching himself on his elbows at the last second. He stares down at me and chuckles softly, and I can't help but laugh along with him. Mat gives me a silly grin before leaning down and sealing our lips together. He tastes like icing and coffee, but it tastes even better on him. 

* * *

As soon as I unlock the door, Amanda rushes to me and takes the coffee cup out of my hand, calling a hurried thanks before running off to her room.

"Wow, not even asking how it went?" I call, heading after her to her room. "You know, I get that you-whoa..."

The camera is just about finished. Amanda is fiddling with a bunch of different lenses, trying out different ones to see what's the best fit. Her fingers tremble, pieces slipping from her fingers every time she tries to grasp them. But the smile on her face lets me know that she's dropping things from excitement.

"You see why I didn't want to leave? All the pieces just started to come together! It's just the stupid lens I can't figure out!"

Some of the lens she's using look a little too modern for that camera. Some are too big, some are too small, and some don't look like they'd connect in the first place. "Amanda, I don't think any of those lenses will fit."

"Don't be a hater Pops. It's gotta be one of these." She holds up a large handful, sorting through them. "I went through all my equipment and even some of my old boxes to find all of these. And the camera parts came out of one of my boxes; of course it's gotta be here." She holds a few out to me. "Wanna help me find them?"

"Sure sweetie." I sit on her messy floor and start putting discarded lens into piles. Each lens she hands me that doesn't fit goes behind me, while the ones that look like they could go in the pile closest to her. Ones that don't have the same shape as the hole on the camera are tossed over Amanda's shoulder, leaving us with an increasingly smaller pile. But Amanda doesn't let up, eagerly trying piece after piece, her pile getting smaller and smaller. with each piece that doesn't work, her frustrations grows until we're out of lenses.

"Damn it!" She tosses the last lens to the side and wipes her eyes. "I was so close!"

"Amanda, calm down!" I push all the lenses away and grip her shoulders. "Look, none of these fit, and that's okay. Maybe the piece just got lost in the never ending mess we call our home. That doesn't mean we can't go looking for one. I mean, there is a pawn shop in town; maybe they'll have the part. Or you could try and find it online, see if someone on the internet can help."

Amanda's shoulders slump. "I was this close though..."

"I understand, but maybe taking a break right now would do you some good. You've been in here all morning. Let's get some sunshine."

She makes a face. "Are we gonna go for a run? I'm not that good at running."

"No Amanda. We're going grocery shopping. I can get more stuff to bake and we can get some actual food so you don't eat junk. Just because you're off from school doesn't mean you can eat what you want."

Amanda groans and grumbles about mean fathers as she goes to get dressed.

* * *

The next morning is not as bad as the others. I'm not sticking to my bed sheets this morning, so I don't have to peel myself out of bed and struggle to get around. My sheets are clean and my body isn't in an overheated state, so its looking to be a good morning. I even feel like making a big breakfast for Amanda and I to share. She deserves it for being so good this week, though I don't really want her to keep eating junk. A nice big, healthy breakfast would be good for her.

I decided to fix fruit oatmeal, eggs, wheat toast, and bacon for us, because why not? It doesn't take me very long, though Amanda is at the table before I'm completely finished. Her head's on the table and she looks dead to the world, like she doesn't want to be here right now. And she doesn't even reach for bacon when I set it in front of her. Is she sick? Amanda loves bacon, yet she's just...sitting there.

"You alright Manda?"

She groans, lightly banging her head on the table. "I saw an email from Emma last night about all the work I had to do for school. She attached everything I needed and told me which questions we were told to skip and all, but it was still a lot. It's due today and I have it all done, but I have more work to do, and I also have some college stuff due soon and I  _still_ want to fix the camera, and then Amber told me about a project I have to do and-"

"Amanda!" I say loudly. She was getting downright hysterical and that was not good for her health. "Calm down! I will take your work to Mr. Vega for you while you relax for a while and when I get back, I will help you with the college stuff. Then I'll bake you a pie and you can have that, some ice cream, and some tea before you finish the rest of your work." I place my hands on her shoulders. "Sometimes, the brain needs to take a break too, and I hate to see you like this. But I'll help you as much as I can. It'll all be fine. I promise."

Amanda picks at a piece of bacon, sighing sadly. "Why did the school have to do this? It's stupid! Not every Alpha is impulsive like they think."

I sigh as well. "Amanda, Alphas are always treated unfairly. No one likes it, but that's how the world works. Just like not every omega is weak or can't defend themselves, not every alpha is a bad person or quick to jump someone. " I place her plate in front of her. "Go ahead and eat. You can get started once you give your mind a break."

She smiles, digging into her oatmeal. "Thanks Pops."

I sit in front of her and begin to eat my own meal. "I'll always help you out Amanda. Never forget that. Even when you're at the evil 'C' thing."

"Evil C- you mean college?"

I hiss. I still don't like talking about it. "Language!"

* * *

Around 3:30, I pack all of Amanda's work into a folder and head to the school. She had rested and now felt a lot more confident about doing all her work, so she assured me that she wouldn't collapse trying to get it all done. All I asked was that she take a break if it got too much, and with that, I headed off to the school. I wasn't expecting to see a flood of kids and adults rushing out when I got there. Hugo's classroom is empty, as is most of the school. I notice many kids immediately rush out and board the buses, while teachers hopped in their cars to go home. It seemed like everyone just wanted to get out of the school and to get home.

Then again, mating season wasn't something people without mates wanted to be walking around in. Harassment was a serious issue, but it often got overlooked when it came to making a legal issue out of it. One of my aunts had gotten harassed before and the only thing the cop told her was that she shouldn't have been walking around like that in the first place. And with what happened to the principal, of course no one wanted an issue like that in a school. I still don't agree with the school board forcing all the alphas out of the school for the week, but that wasn't something I could fight about later. Right now, Amanda had work she needed to turn in and I was here to deliver it, since the note she had told me she wasn't even allowed on the school premises. Which was just as dumb as the rule of alphas not being allowed during school hours.

Hugo is in his classroom, looking very frustrated as he grades a stack of papers. Each one has more marks on it than the last, and one looks like Hugo didn't even want to grade it, just putting a 'zero' on the top and putting it to the side. He's almost done with his stack, though he desperately looks like he wants to leave. I smile sympathetically and place my package down on his desk. "This week has not been good to anyone."

Hugo chuckles. "It feels that way. All the kids are rowdy and pay attention even less than they normally do. Even the teachers are a bit insufferable." He holds up a couple of very marked up papers. "As you can see, nothing much gets accomplished. I'm beginning to think Amanda's a lucky one."

Something's been bugging me about this whole thing, and now that he said that, it reminded me of what I wanted to ask. "If Alpha students aren't allowed in school, why not Alpha teachers? Don't they pose the biggest threat?"

"You'd think that was the case, but no. Alpha teachers are fine because most are already mated, and the ones who aren't are closely observed to make sure they aren't doing anything illicit with the students." He shakes his head. "It's a dumb rule from the start and I've gotten a few teachers to help me fight it, but the issue is going nowhere." He opens the bag on the table and smiles, pulling out a Tupperware container. "Cookies?"

"I know teachers prefer apples, but I have a bad habit of baking too much and having leftovers. I don't want Amanda and I to constantly eat junk food, so I figured that I could bring them along with me while I dropped off Amanda's work." I hand him a stack of papers, which he puts to the side.

"Thank you, although she was only sent home with busy work." He pulls out a cookie and takes a bite. "These are significantly better than the ones at PTA meetings."

"I've been told I have a talent."

Hugo looks at a paper and frowns, writing a note at the top of the page and putting it in his stack. "This isn't a bride by Amanda, is it?"

I shake my head, laughing. "No, though she wanted to know if you'd overlook her overdue paper if I slid you a container of cookies."

"Ethically, I can't do that. But in my personal opinion, I would, especially if they were peanut butter cookies; she'd be solid the rest of the semester."

I can't help the laugh. Hugo's actually got a good sense of humor. Most teachers are boring and get offended by every little joke, but I guess he just developed his own. "I can't always win people over with baked goods, but I do try."

"Anyone ever tell you it works? Because I am sorely tempted to give her an A if you keep bribing me with these cookies." He sighs as he flips through the last of the papers and sighs again. "I really don't want to do this."

I pick one up and look it over, cringing at the barely legible handwriting. I've seen toddlers write better than this. "Do you want help? I'm not doing anything right now and this is the only human interaction I'm able to have today."

Hugo raises an eyebrow. "I'm sure there are better things to do than sit here and grade poorly written papers."

"Well, if you know anything, feel free to let me know." I pull up a chair from the corner and sit beside Hugo's desk. "Just tell me what to do."

* * *

"...so he has his friend put on a wig, lipstick, and stuff a bra to pretend to be his 'mother' and try to talk me down from failing him. It was hardly believable; the breasts sagged far too low for any woman and his makeup was...off to say the least." Hugo shakes his head. "They really thought something like that would work on me, like I hadn't seen the boy's mother before. When his  _real_ mother showed up, it was not pretty."

Grading got pushed aside in favor of talking about teaching in general and the ridiculous thing students did to get a passing grade. And all the schemes they thought up were poorly planned, making for hilarious stories. I'd never be able to think of anything like that as a kid, but I was a good noodle, so the thought wouldn't have even crossed my mind. Teachers come in and out to say goodbye, but the school empties even further as the sun begins to dip.

"I don't know how you deal with them," I say honestly. "You have more patience than I would."

"It comes with experience. I've been teaching for a while now, so I've seen just about all of it." He cracks his neck before reaching for another cookie. "It's tiring sometimes, and often very frustrating with little reward, but I don't think I'd ever give it up. I love it a little too much to up and quit." He holds up a paper we graded earlier. "Though, there are times when I contemplate just walking out, but I'd never do that."

"But how can you stand it?"

He gestures for me to lean in. I hesitate at first, but then get closer to him. Hugo seemed practically harmless.

"Between you and I, all the teachers have pitch in a little money every week to buy a stash of alcohol to keep close. For the real tiring days." He reaches into the very bottom of his desk and pulls out a small travel-sized bottle of liquor. "We all have a few of these hidden in the desks."

"That would do it." I hand him another paper that I graded, which only had three answers on it. "I think that's the last of them."

Hugo gathers all the papers together and puts them in a folder. "A lot of students might be disappointed, majority won't care, but this was a lot more enjoyable with you here."

"I'm glad I could help. Though, I'm very concerned with whether these kids know how to write a decent paper."

"Most do not." He stands up and stretches, taking his glasses off and setting them on the desk. He looks worn out, not that I blame him. Teaching cannot be an easy job, especially with students who aren't receptive. But Hugo just takes it all and just keeps teaching like these kids don't bother him. It's...I don't know if noble is the word, but he's definitely dedicated to his job.

"Most are probably hot for teacher and  _want_ to get into trouble so they can spend more time in detention with you." 

The words tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them. I don't know where they came from, but they just slipped out and now Hugo looks a little flustered.

"Is that why you're here Danny?"

Shit. Was not expecting that reply.

Hugo comes around the desk and places one hand on the back of my chair, the other on my cheek. He leans in, the room becoming thick with pheromones, Hugo absolutely reeking of his own spicy scent. I just dug myself into a hole that I cannot get out of. Not now.

"No. I just hoped grading all those papers entitled me to a reward."

Me opening my mouth did not help me either.

* * *

There's easily a chance a lingering teacher can come by and spot us, but Hugo is just as unconcerned with getting caught as I am.

Hugo, I learn, is a very strong man. The suit he wears does not do justice to his figure, because he's much more built than his clothes suggest and when he grabbed me, I could feel muscles working beneath his suit. I must feel like nothing, because Hugo is easily able to lift me with one arm and clear his desk with the other. 

"I thought this was a porno thing," I joke, trying to push myself up a little. The position I'm in is a little uncomfortable, face pressed against the smooth wood of his desk and ass just out in the open, but Hugo puts pressure on the back of my neck to keep me still. "Having sex in a classroom."

"The trope had to start somewhere." His hips press against my ass, cock slipping between my thighs and knocking against my own. He slides back and forth, hips slapping against my ass roughly. His hands grip my arms and pull me back against his chest, thrusting faster. "It's a classic."

"Didn't think you were well-versed on porno classics." I grit my teeth as he bucks up, trying not to make a sound. The walls of the classroom are not that thick and I don't know if the teacher next door is here or not. "It's not fitting for a teacher." The next snide comment is wiped from my mind as Hugo's cock rubs against my entrance.

Hugo laughs and pulls back once more, pushing in with a rough thrust. I grit my teeth again, trying to stay silent as Hugo thrusts deep and buries himself inside. "I was young once." He starts to move, favoring accuracy over urgency. He easily finds my prostate and moves in and out with slow, lazy thrusts.  He has me trapped, strong arms keeping me pressed against him and firmly upright. "Everyone gets curious."

I laugh, though it's strained. "So the classroom trope is a favorite?" I feel a strike against my prostate at the comment and I can't help but groan. "Now you can brag about doing it." Hugo thrusts shallowly, just barely brushing against my prostate.

Hugo's grip on my arms tighten, probably going to leave bruises. He's done responding to me now, pushing his cock further into me with each thrust. Quiet groans and gasps leave him, quieter than the sounds I'm making. I roll my hips, trying to get him to make a noise, but Hugo's adamant on staying silent, slowly losing more and more control. Here was where the urgency kicked in, Hugo's thrusts becoming sloppier and harder. The sound of his hips slapping against mine make the most nose, and he slows down occasionally to keep the sound down. But the pace starts back up again and soon, Hugo's lost all of his control and is bucking wildly into me, his groans steadily getting louder. There's another porno joke I could make, but I doubt Hugo would appreciate it. Instead, he guides me to lift my knee and place it down on the desk, his hips rolling into me. I can't hold out much longer and reach between my legs, stroking myself a few times before I cum. Hugo is not far behind, bucking into me as he cums, a low groan spilling from his mouth.

Hugo doesn’t move for a moment, then hums. "The classroom trope is definitely a favorite.” 

“What, right behind the locker room tropes?”

This time, Hugo couldn’t contain his laughter.

* * *

Amanda is in the living room when I come back home, the TV playing some music channel. She's entirely focused on the poster board, drawing large swirls and curves all over. The top of the poster says 'Alphas' in bold red lettering, blocky font making it stand out. She has many different newspaper articles around her, all talking about different alpha arrests.

"Good news, Mr. Vega told me that all that work boosted your grade three points." I place the empty container in the kitchen and sit on the couch behind Amanda. 

"And the bad news?" She doesn't look up from her poster board. "Please tell me that term paper isn't still on the fence. I turned it in on a reasonable time."

"No bad news Amanda. He accepted the term paper and you're only losing five points for lateness." I put my hands on my hips. "It  _should've_ been more, but he decided to be lenient." Peering down at her work, I'm surprised at just how many articles she had; she was sitting on a few while many more were strewn across the couch. "What are you doing?"

Amanda holds up a project rubric. "We were supposed to do research on which one we are. Since I'm an alpha, there was a lot of information. Mainly legal issues and criminal reports." She flops back onto the floor and sighs. "I thought I'd find out some really cool facts about Alphas. Everything I find is depressing." She looks up at me and pouts. "Can I have that pie now? It'll make me feel better."

I laugh. "I'll go get started on it. You keep working kiddo." 

"Put lots of cinnamon in it!" Amanda calls. "And brush the top with egg!"

"I know how to make a pie Amanda!"

* * *

Amanda is up before me oddly enough, watching TV on the couch with a book balanced on her knee, a plate of food balanced on the other. I think the TV is on for background noise because her favorite movie is on and she isn't glued to the screen. In fact, it doesn't even look like she's even touched the food. Again, it's odd.

"Everything alright Manda?" I ask cautiously.

"Yeah." She hasn't looked up from her book yet, nor touched her food.

"Oh. Okay. Do you want me to make you something to go with your..." I eye her plate. "Uh...pie crust?"

"No." She flips a page in her book and continues reading.

"Do you...want...anything?" Did something happen that I wasn’t aware about? Did aliens kidnap my daughter and replace her with this... thing?

Amanda chuckles. "I'm not ignoring you Dad. I just have some work to do in math and I'm trying to focus on all the formulas. It's just difficult." She flips the channel to a rock music channel. 

"Have you tried something else? Did you check online?"

She nods. "But all the videos and stuff don't really help."

"Hmm..." Math was never a strong suit for me either. "Well, can you ask someone to tutor you?"

"Have someone in mind? Everyone I know is school, and online tutors take forever to get back to you." She turns another page. "It's like...I understand it, but I can't apply it. It's tough." She waves the book in my direction. "Wanna give it a crack?"

"I wish I could, but you get the terrible math skills from me." Alex was a whiz at math. Accounting was his minor back when he was in college and he worked for a bank after we moved. He even helped me with our finances, making sure no one overspent and that we’d have a little extra money left over to spoil ourselves. "All I gave you was finger guns."

She gives me the trademark finger guns and grin. "Then I got something awesome!" But her expression drops. "However, math..."

"I don't know where the math went. But maybe...Daisy can help?"

"Daisy?" Amanda repeats. "But she's in school."

"I mean when she gets out of school. After all, she's reading the Brothers Mario or whatever and she's ten. Maybe she's the math tutor you need. I can ask Brian if we can come over so you two can work." It all makes sense. Brian already told us about all her achievements, and she seems like she really gets along with Amanda. I'm sure they'd be happy to see each other again.

"You think she would?"

"Amanda, that girl really likes you. I'd be shocked if she said no." I opened up Dadbook on my phone.

_hey Brian it was great eating burgers with you at the cookout. Amanda needs a little help and Daisy is the only one we can really turn to. If it isn't too much, do you mind if we come over later? You and I can hang out while they do their thing._

It actually takes a while before Brian responds. 

_**Hey heyyy man! Always love a good burg with a buddy. We should DEFINITELY hang out. All Daisy talks about is how much fun she had with Amanda, so I don't mind at all. Why dont ya bring her by when Daisy gets home from school? We could play pool.** _

_Sure! I love a good game of pool!_

Brian gives me the time Daisy gets home from school and we agree to meet up. Amanda is ecstatic, not just because she can spend time with Daisy, but because she can finish the rest of her work. She throws her book onto the other couch and goes to the fridge to make her version of a healthy breakfast. Which was another slice of pie and some cupcakes. 

"Amanda, that's not a proper breakfast."

"Sorry, but it's your fault that my blood is more icing than actual blood."

* * *

Well...now that I have free time, I guess I can do some research.

I pull out a notebook and open it to the first page, immediately stumped. What exactly did I want to name this bakery? I don't want it to be too generic, but I don't want it to be too basic.  _Danny's Bakery_ came to mind, but there were so many bakery's that did that, so I didn't want to go there. It had to be unique. Something that actually meant something to me. Something that inspired me...

Well, Alex and Amanda are my main inspirations. I strive to be good to Alex, and I strive to be a good parent to Amanda. I wanted to better myself to be better for them. Amanda needed me after Alex died, and Alex and I needed one another to build the home we wanted. But how did I incorporate that into a name? No simple words could ever describe that. I needed something that described all of us. Our family. What could the name be...?

Maybe I could come back to that.

I skip a couple of lines and write 'Pricing' on a blank line. If anything, I need to have prices set. I don't want to break even, I don't want to overprice, and I don't want to underprice anything. If I can't make a profit, I won't be able to stay open for long. And I have to account for all the equipment, tables, chairs, and decorations, electricity and water...

Alright. I guess I can start pricing.

* * *

I'm so caught up in working that I don't even realize it's already about two in the afternoon. Wow, I must've been at this really hard!

I look over the three filled pages before me. The numbers were mainly estimates, all the totals just sums that may or may not be a couple hundred off. I looked up the shop Craig was telling me about and it...actually doesn't go for much because it's in such a bad shape. While that does cut down on how much I thought I'd initially thought I had to spend, it just seems I'll have to do a lot of interior work to make it look decent. It used to be some kind of restaurant, so while it had an oven and a fridge, both were badly damaged and in a terrible state, unusable at the moment. Those would take additional repairs and servicing...

The pricing took the longest. I had to decide exactly what I was serving, which was going to be cakes, pies, cookies, cupcakes, tarts, and scones. I didn't want to make too many things and end up throwing a lot of it away. It'd be best to only do a few of the best things I could make. If people suggested other things, than I'd expand from there.

Afterwards, everything else just...flowed, and I had everything on paper. Applying it would be a different matter altogether, but the planning stage was going swimmingly.

"Dad! It's almost time for us to go!" Amanda appears in the doorway, her book bag slung over her shoulder. She keeps shifting her weight, subtlety urging me to get ready. I raise an eyebrow.

”You’re excited to do homework?” Last I check, it was stressing her out and just terrible.

”I like Daisy. She’s really cool for a ten year old. And we were talking a bit at the cookout and I found out that she’s really smart. Like, she could be in high school with me smart. I’m excited to see her; she’s like a little sister to me.”

”Well, I’ll get ready so you don’t keep her waiting.” I put my notebook in a drawer and get dressed quickly, making sure I look at least presentable. Amanda is sitting on the couch, tapping her foot and giving me a look. I chuckle quietly and slowmo walk to the door.

”Dad!”

”Sorry Amanda. Gravity is slowing me down.”

”That’s not even how it works!” She grabs my arm and begins tugging me forward, but she's the one person I'm stronger than so she doesn't more than two inches forward. She goes behind me and tries to push, but I slowly lean back. "Oh no! Gravity is working the right way!" I feel Amanda begin to fall to the floor beneath me.

"Dad, don't do this to me!"

"Gravity Amanda. Same thing happened a month ago."

"Dad!"

* * *

Brian’s house is definitely bigger and a lot more furnished than our own. I admit it: his lawn is very nice and the walkway does add appeal, so I grudgingly accept that his house is better. And I distinctly remember him talking about a 50 inch TV...

Still, Daisy is all smiles as she answers the door, leading us through the living room and to the kitchen. I notice a wall dedicated to her awards and trophies, while there are pictures of her, Brian, and another woman hanging near them. I can only assume that she’s Daisy’s mother, though I refrain from prying.

”I already finished my homework, so we have plenty of time,” Daisy says as she moves her bag from the table. “We were just about to have lunch.” She points to where Brian is making sandwiches on the counter, a bag of chips lying unopened beside him.

Amanda takes a seat at the table. “Alright Daisy. I need a little help. What do you know about algebra?”

Her eyes light up. “I love algebra! My teacher gave me this book to work in and I recently finished the whole thing.”

Amanda and I blink. Daisy really is smart.

Amanda pulls out her work and pushes it across to Daisy. “Great! I’m having some trouble with the formulas, so I wanted to see if you could help me.”

Daisy quickly reads over three pages of text before nodding. “It seems simple enough. I think it’s the formatting that’s throwing you off. Let’s try it this way.” She switches seats so that she’s closer to Amanda and begins writing on her paper. Amanda watches in rapt attention, looking between the book and what Daisy was writing.

Brian places two plates down on the table and leaves the chips between them. “And this is where we take our leave, eh Danny?” He puts holds out a plate for me as well.

I stand up. “Yeah. Math was never my strong suit.”

He gestures for me to follow him. I take my sandwich and follow him through the large house. Shirts and books lay scattered throughout the hallway, while many framed pictures and awards line the hall. There are more pictures this way, featuring a younger Brian and the woman from before, pictures in front of lakes, forests, and beaches. They look very happy in the pictures, though I'm curious as to what happened to her. Brian didn't bring her to the cookout, and none of the pictures look very recent. I wonder what happened to her...

"I figured we could relax in my man cave," he says as he pushes open a door upstairs. "At least until they finish up."

The room looks like something out of an arcade. There's a pool table dead in the center, a large TV hanging in perfect viewing position from the pool table, a table and a set of comfy looking chairs, two couches, a fridge, a dart board, arcade machines, and just about everything a man cave could have. It was honestly really nice, and fitting for any kind of get together. 

And now I'm jealous.

"You set this up yourself?"

Brian takes a seat on one of the couches and gestures for me to do the same. "Yep. It started out as a storage room til I finally got around to cleanin' it. Then I just started adding stuff to it until it was the way I wanted it. Could live in here if ya wanted to." He flips on the TV to some sports event. "Any preference to what you want to watch?"

"Long Haul Ice Road Paranormal Ghost Truckers," I answer immediately. It's not even a choice. If I'm not watching anything to do with baking, that's my go-to.

Brian chuckles and switches the channel. "Good choice."

We sit together and eat our sandwiches as we watch Flynt and Callum try to repair their truck while all their tools bury themselves in snow and ice. They can barely fix their battery or change the tire. That's how bad it is out there. Brian and I watch in comfortable silence since this is the season finale. The next season doesn’t start for three months, so it might be the last time we see Flynt and Callum.

"That was quite an episode," Brian says, putting his plate on the table beside him. He takes my empty plate from me and puts it with his, opening the fridge beside him to hand me a soda, which I take gratefully. His man cave really is nice. I knew my Dad had one, but I never really went in there. He usually had his friends over in there and I was usually in the kitchen baking with mom, so I never really got to play in there with him. And Alex and I never really wanted out own, usually spending time with another. But Brian's was the epitome of a great man cave. One that you’d see in all those Dad magazines that made you want one.

"Wanna play pool?" He gestures to the table sitting in the middle of the room, a rack of pool sticks hanging on the wall by an arcade machine.

I nod, internally giddy. Brian was about to be taught a lesson.

* * *

Brian shakes his head and chuckles, watching as I sink the cue ball into the final pocket. "I'm glad I'm not a gambling man, else I would've lost all my money."

I shrug. "I've always been unnaturally good at pool."

We've played about four games so far, and I've won every single game. The first game, I messed up a shot and it led him to getting a few turns, but after that, I destroyed him. The second game, he got two turns, and then it was all me. Third time was the charm for me, as Brian didn't get a single turn. And finally, this game was easy to win as well. I messed up another corner pocket shot, but otherwise did a good job.

"Still wanna continue the five out of seven?" Brian had suggested earlier that we do best two of three, which turned to best five out of seven. But now that I won again, I think he wanted to reconsider.

"And watch you play the whole time? No thanks." He puts his pool stick back in the rack. "The only time I got to play was when you messed up that one shot."

I wince. Yeah, I always had trouble with certain corner shots, especially if the ball is in a real tricky spot. I mainly play pool with my left hand rather than my right, so I have to change my stance a lot during a game. I tried to switch to my right during the second game, but I'm so used to the left hand that it messed me up entirely. "I don't use my right hand as much as my left. That's why I ended up switching back to my left."

"I think I can help ya." He gestures for me to come closer. “Let me see your stance again.”

Shrugging, I position my stick across the pool table, shifting uncomfortably on my feet at the odd hold I have. Brian clicks his tongue and he shakes his head. “I see your problem. You’re so used to leading with your left that you shift your weight to your left side when you lead with your right.” He places his hands on my hips and gives me a subtle shift. I can feel my weight move and my grip around the pole feels different this way. Brian places the a red ball in front of me and I line up my shot, sinking the ball into the back pocket. 

“Hey, it worked!” I can’t help but grin. I always used to have problems playing on the left; who knew it all came down to a simple weight shift?

Brian chuckles. “I saw you shift your weight when you played on your left hand. You’re just so used to it you didn’t realize you shifted back on your left. In fact...” he nudges a foot between mine and coerces me to spread them apart a little. “I think this way is better for your left hand.”

I bite my lip. Brian probably doesn’t realize it yet, but the position he has his leg in has his thigh pressed against my crotch. I’m almost straddling his leg with the way we’re standing and it’s odd to say the least. But my body starts to react to his close proximity and pretty soon, I'm wet with slick. I'm pretty sure that Brian can tell by now because his grip on my hips tightens and his body seems to tense. He makes a move to move his leg away, but it only serves to rub against my dick and draw a moan from my mouth. I'm quick to try and cover it up, but by his gasp, I can tell he's heard me. His outdoorsy scent begins to fill the room, my hormones raging at the scent of an Alpha still in his prime. I push my hips back a tiny bit, and Brian groans softly.

”Let me show you a different position.”

* * *

Brian has got to be uncomfortable in this position, but if the pool table is hurting him, he doesn't say so.

It didn't take much for him to rearrange us on top of the pool table. I'm a little put out at the action, since it once again reminds me of how much stronger than me everyone is, or how light I must be. But the thought is quickly pushed away when he yanks my pants down far enough to grab my cock. His thick fingers caress my heated shaft, stroking softly over the head. He looks enraptured, like he can't believe this is happening or that we're doing this, but takes delight in stroking languidly, drawing it out. His other hand slides down by back, a single finger pressing against my hole and making small circles.  I know he could probably feel how wet I was from just that, but he doesn't comment. His finger just keeps tracing and tracing until he finally presses the tip of his finger inside, not pushing in much farther than that. I can probably take it, but it doesn't hurt to be careful.

I can feel something very large rubbing against my thigh and reach a hand back to massage his cock, feeling it jump beneath my hand. Brian moans, another string of increasingly desperate sounds following it as I reach beneath his pants to grasp his cock. Something akin to a whine leaves his mouth as I reach my way to the head, rubbing my thumb over the leaking head.

"Danny, I won't be able to last long if you keep that up," Brian says.

Yeah. Neither will I now that I think about it. I decide to stop teasing and slid back just a bit, pulling down the zipper of his shorts and freeing his cock from its confines.

Oh. _Ohh_.

Wow. He was not kidding back at the cookout when he said he could show me a big one. His cock was a nice length, but thicker than I could've imagined. Okay, screw what I said earlier, this was going to be a tight fit. I slowly lower myself until I could feel his cockhead pressing against my entrance. I took a deep breath and lowered down. The breach of his cock pushing into me burned, and when the head finally pushed through, I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. It wasn't the whole thing, but I felt accomplished enough just getting past that. And now to get through the rest...

"Easy there," Brian murmurs encouragingly, rubbing soothing circles into my hips. It doesn't really help; Brian's the thickest I've taken so far. I'm loose, but it doesn't feel that way with Brian's thick cock pushing into me. It's a half pleasant, half burning sensation trying to fit him all the way in. I can feel Brian's arms trembling, like he wants to shove me down, but he keeps still and urges me down slowly. It takes long moments before I'm finally seated all the way down and can finally breath. Though that breath is stolen when Brian bucks his hips up, knocking me forward. I can barely catch myself on his chest from the action. 

"Sorry," Brian mumbles, going still under me. "Couldn't help it."

"Try to keep still for me." I place one hand on his chest and bounce lightly, just to get used to the feel of his cock inside me. Brian thankfully obeys and just lets me get adjusted. It doesn't take very long and pretty soon, I'm heartily bouncing on his cock and he's giving light thrusts upwards. I grind down for more friction, wanting him to move just a bit more. He complies, but only a little bit, his thrusts shallow. It’s enough for me to work with, my fingers digging into his chest for leverage.

I slip one hand over Brian's and guide it to rest on my chest, his fingers brushing over my nipples. He hesitates for a moment, but then raises his limp hand to place it beside the other. He slowly begins kneading my chest and I shiver, pressing down to take his cock back inside me. A loud groan leaves him as I ride with more vigor now, wanting to drive us both to the end. Brian is mostly silent, though his face is red and he looks really determined as he kneads my chest. I don't dwell on that for longer, lifting myself and slamming my hips back down. I was getting dizzy from the feel of his cock sinking deeper with each bounce and thrust of Brian's hips. One of his large hands, having been fondling my chest, moved down my chest until his fingers wrapped around my cock and began jerking my off at the same pace I was bouncing. 

Brian's thrusts were getting erratic, his hand moving furiously up and down my dick. I threw my head back, eyes rolling as I tried to keep up with him. His quiet groans were nearly inaudible under mine, and I swear the girls will come investigate with how loud I was being, but I couldn't bring myself to care. His cock started throbbing and I felt my body squeeze around him. Brian gave another thrust and I lost it, releasing all over his hand and stomach. Brian gave a few more thrusts until he came inside me, his semen overflowing in me.

There were no words between us for a few long moments. I fell forward onto his chest, my cum probably ruining our shirts in the process. Brian's hand began absently stroking my back, his other hand stroking my thigh. The motions almost lulled me to sleep, but I force myself to stay awake. I don't want Amanda and Daisy to come looking for us and see us in this situation. 

"This was not the 'big one' I was thinking about," I say, thinking back to the cookout.

Brian's heartily laughter assured me he remembered exactly what I was talking about. 

* * *

"So how'd it go?" I ask Amanda as we make the short walk back home. Brian and I hadn't said much to the girls after what happened. We cleaned up as best we could, scrubbed the semen off our clothes, and made up some lie about spilling soda to stop any questions the girls might have. Amanda had finished a while ago and was just hanging out with Daisy, figuring that letting us have time to get to know each other better and talk more, just like they had been doing. Daisy told Amanda about the man cave and how much time Brian put into making it, so Amanda figured I'd enjoy being in there with him and thought she ad Daisy would be fine for a few hours. Brian and I didn't have an argument against that, so we let them have another fifteen minutes before I decided it was awkward enough in the house and decided to leave.

She grins, holding up her assignment paper. "Daisy made it seem so simple! She's ten and she knows the quadratic formula better than I do! She even thought me tricks for the other ones."

"Since I've no idea what the quadratic formula is, I'm going to assume it's something really difficult and just say 'I told you asking her was a good idea.'"

Amanda seems too happy to notice, looking over his answers in glee. "It seemed so hard in the beginning, but she just helped me see it in a new way. I wish my high school teachers could do that. It'd make my life a lot easier."

"We need to celebrate this occasion. Where my own Daughter Amanda Ann was able to conquer her math formula."

Amanda pumps a fist into the air. "Yeah! Let's celebrate with ice cream sandwiches!"

"Amanda, we can't have ice cream sandwiches for every occasion. You know that."

"Pie?"

"I made you a pie the other day!"

"...cupcakes?"

"...fine."

* * *

I'm about to check the mail today when a bundle of flowers catches my eye.

There are many different flowers, a mix of red and white, though the bold color of the red flowers stand out a bit more. I'm honestly a little shocked; who'd leave flowers for me of all people? Did some stray alpha find out where I live? Or was it someone in the neighborhood? I try to think of everyone who might send me red flowers, but I come up short. I can't think of anyone who'd do this. This is either an odd prank, or an actual gift.

I'm just going to say it's a gift from someone. But I don't know  _who_ that someone is. I don't think I have admirers or anything that I know of, but perhaps this is one of them making themselves known

I take the flowers into the house and find a clear vase for them, adding a little water to keep them healthy. I decide to put them on the kitchen table, where they stand out beautifully. The bold red ones definitely catch your eye, while the white ones provide a stark contrast. And there aren't just roses; there are many flower, all ranging from common varieties or very exotic, nothing that I've ever seen before. I don't even know what some of them are.

That's why we have the internet. 

It's actually hard to look up flowers when you don't know the names of them. I'm learning more about flowers as a whole than I'm learning about the ones on the table. Don't get me wrong, it's interesting, but it doesn't help me understand who'd send them to me. I'm so engrossed with this that I don't notice Amanda come into the kitchen and pop some waffles into the toaster.

"Ooh, nice flowers. Already have a secret admirer?" She pulls out her phone and begins snapping pictures, making me get up so that she can get shots from all angles. "I dig the red ones." Amanda takes a quick whiff of a rose and nods. 

"I can't seem to figure out who sent them though." I pick up a very thin white flower and turn it in my fingers. The petals are thin and drop down slightly, "I wish I knew who sent them. I want to thank them."

Amanda hums. "Maybe it was that cool goth Dad. He gave me a rose, remember?"

I think about it for a moment, then check the internet to see if flowers were a part of Victorian culture. Unsurprisingly, there are many different articles referring to how Victorians used flowers, mostly to convey secret messages to people they desired or their loved ones. This definitely seems like a Damien thing to do; he seems really into the Victorian culture thing.

"So, is it him?" Amanda peers over my shoulder at my phone. "Was it goth dad?"

"From the looks of things, yes." I turn the screen to her and let her flick through the article. She takes note of the flowers pictured before turning the screen back to me. "I guess you made an impression on him if he's sending you flowers. What did you say to him?"

"I guess most people find the Victorian thing weird, but I found it interesting." I pick up a red rose. "I guess he just appreciated me being understanding."

Amanda's waffles pop up from the toaster, so she goes to make them to her liking. Meaning that she loads them down with syrup and whipped cream. While she makes breakfast, I take pictures of the flowers and try to do a reverse image search. Some of them come up, but some I can't find for the life of me. Well...I guess I can just ask Damien what they mean. After all, I was going to send him a thank you message.

_hey Damien, it was great getting to know you at the BBQ. Also, I got the flowers today and they were beautiful! Thank you so much._

It takes a minute before Damien types. And keeps typing. And keeps typing. And-wow this is going to be a long reply.

_**Ah Danny. I hope this day finds you well. I am oh so glad that you enjoyed the flowers I so carefully picked out for you; some were very hard to find on such short notice but I wanted nothing but the best for you. They are partly a token for my gratitude in your understanding of my nature, and partly a request I seek from you. I hope that you will indulge me, as this is something I would not normally ask for in this such a manner. But I digress. Does this day find you available?** _

****Wow, this guy was much more articulate than anyone. I've never seen anyone text so...eloquently before. It made my simple message really look bland compared to his. Now I felt like I needed to spell check my reply.

_Sure. What time is good for you?_

Hopefully nothing too soon. I want to make something for him and it might take some time. Especially since I've never made anything like this before, so it'd be something new.

Damien's reply is significantly shorter.

**_Since I have asked you to take time out of your day to indulge me, you may set whatever time suits you the best._ **

_Alright. I will see you in about two hours._

With that out of the way, I set to work on my new project.

* * *

I was a bit skeptical about Damien's house when he first described it, and it does stick out like a sore thumb, but Damien's house looks much nicer than any other house in the cul-de-sac. Sure, the color and design might intimidate some people, but it's actually really cool. The architecture is definitely different from the rest of the houses and the garden out front is spectacular. It beats anything Amanda and I tried to do before, that much was certain.

I take the stone path up to the door, admiring just how much effort Damien put into making his house seem Victorian in design. It feels like I've traveled back in time, stepping into an old English novel, and Damien is the head of a manor. The gargoyles by the door are a bit intimidating, and I think one of them turned its head at me, but I focus on the door and the absence of a doorbell. Probably because those hadn't been invented back in the Victorian era. Or had they? I'm not well-versed in my history...

I pull back the large, ornately carved bat's head door knocker and a hollow sound echoes through the house with each strike against the door. I don't have to wait long before the door slowly creaks open. It's a bit creepy, but I take a couple of steps into Damien's house and into the foyer, noting the intricate oil paintings of who I assume are dead relatives of his. I get a very Dracula like feel from the house, but I'm a bit more curious than creeped out.

Until the door slams shut behind me. And now I'm more terrified than curious or creeped out. "H-Hello?"

I'm met with silence. An oil lamp in the corner flickers to life, casting ominous shadows across the walls. I feel like every person in the paintings is staring at me, judging me. The temperature seems to drop and I feel more alone than ever in this large house. Now all I want is for Damien to make an appearance.

"Hello Danny. Pleasure to have you in my home."

It takes everything in me not to jump at the sound of his voice. I look up to where Damien is standing at the top of a majestic staircase, holding a walking candle holder.

I point to his door. "I think...I think your door is broken."

He laughs it off. "No Danny. There's a draft in here."

"But...the door creaked open too."

"I accidentally left it unlocked."

"The oil paintings?"

"I like oil paintings. It adds a certain quality to the room."

Well...they did look nice in the house. "Oh. Cool."

Damien nods. "Please! Let me show you around!"

I admit, I am very curious about the interior as well. And to get away from the paintings. I can still feel their eyes and I think one of them rolled their eyes at me. "Sure. Lead the way."

* * *

Damien leads me around his very ornate house, leading me through the parlor, sitting room, auxiliary sitting room, the parlor again for some reason, and through a long hallway. The inside isn't as dark as I thought, the color scheme actually making the decor pop. There aren't many gargoyles in here, nor are there as many bat around, but the rest of the decor is very elegant.

"This is one of the older houses on the block, yes, but nowhere near as old as the architecture might suggest," Damien explains. "Through extensive renovations, I have been able to craft a home that is both historically accurate to the Victorian era and equipped with the amenities of any modern dwelling."

I did notice some of the light fixtures were a bit more modern than appropriate Victorian household, but they still fit in with the rest of the house.

We walk past a door covered in bumper stickers, caution tape, and a Black Parade poster.

"I'm not sure they listened to My Chemical Romance in the Victorian era," I point out, noticing that this was the only out of place door in the house. "

Damien doesn't laugh, but he does look a bit upset. "That's...my son's room. You know how the rebellious teenage years are." He leads me away from the door. "Onward. Onward. We've much more to see." There's a door at the end of a hallway that Damien opens with a flourish, letting me enter first. "This is the library."

Now I feel like I'm in Beauty and the Beast, just a bit smaller. Sunlight streams in through floor to ceiling arched windows, the glass polished so clean that it looks like you might accidentally walk through one. The walls are lined with packed bookshelves, even more books scattered on the floor or period appropriate furniture. There's a ladder leading to an upper floor, where even more bookshelves are crammed full of books. There's even a desk with a quill pen over by one wall. I can tell that this is Damien's favorite room, one he's proud of. I would be too if I built something this majestic.

I can't help but wander around, examining everything. Many of the books are worn, their spines fading out, while some look fresh and new. I can't read the titles on many of them, but they look like Damien has read them hundreds of times over. There's a nice spot by the window that I could see him sitting in and curling up with one of these books. Or over by the taxidermy wall. Really...I could see him in any spot around the room. This is somewhere I could spend hours in too if I had the chance.

"This room is something out of a fairytale," I say after walking around a few times. "How many books are in here?"

"Over a thousand. Maybe more. I lost count." Damien looks very elated. "I didn't know this room would amaze you so much."

"It just...I've seen pictures of old libraries and some of the libraries in fairytales, but I've never actually been in one like this. I can see myself just...relaxing in here." I pick up a lone book on the floor, flipping through some of the pages. Some of the text is in a different language, so I don't really know what it says, but there are a couple of pictures of houses and people. Maybe a book on the Victorian era? I'm not sure.

"Would you like to join me for tea?" Damien's voice breaks me out of my trance, causing me to put the book down.

"Tea sounds lovely."  

Damien leads me to his sitting room, where finger foods are already set out on upon a beautiful, tiered silver tray. I take a seat in one of the high-backed chairs while Damien pours me some tea.

"I haven't sat and had tea with someone in a long time. In fact, the last time I did, it was with my mother."

Damien smiles to himself. "Tea was often a ritual among the Victorians. Ones they did with loved ones as well. It was very calming, was it not?"

I remember. After we baked, Mom and I would have tea and eat the treats we made. It was our little bonding time, and Mom always let me pick a different tea to have, just for variety. "Yeah. We also baked cakes and stuff to have with it. Oh!" I quickly jump up, remembering the little bag I brought earlier. "Stay here! I have something for you."

"Danny-"

But I dash out of the room, nearly tripping over myself to get downstairs and to where I left the package. I quickly grab it and run back to the sitting room, making sure not to lose myself in the large house. I have to slow down a moment, but I find Damien in the correct sitting room, looking thoroughly confused.

"Sorry! Sorry! I almost forgot about it." I take a container out of the bag I brought and set it down. "Go ahead. Open it."

Damien gives me a confused look, but unsnaps the container and lifts the lid. He stares down at the treat and a small sound leave his mouth. I think it's a pleased sound because there's a small smile on his face. 

"You made me a lemon tart?" Damien's expression is torn between shock and elation.

"Sure. I heard that Victorians were actually very fond of dessert, pudding to be exact, and particularly used lemon custard or curd as a spread for bread and scones, rather than in any kind of dessert. It was only a matter of time before they decided to incorporate it into other deserts they really loved." I cut a small piece for him to taste. "I figured you'd really like it since that time period is a personal favorite of yours. I also hope that I didn't screw it up; this as my first time making a tart...anything actually."

Damien takes a tentative bite and his eyes go wide. I wince. "Too much lemon?" Maybe I should've gone with the custard instead. I've at least made that before. Really hope I didn't ruin this for him.

"No...it's actually quite delicious."

I breathe a sigh of relief. I was sure I was about to mess it up. It didn't look right when I first started on it, and I wasn't sure about the lemon proportions either. Each recipe had a different opinion, so I kinda just went with it. I'm glad that didn't throw it off, though I can't be sure if he's just being nice or not.

"I haven't met anyone who would think to do something like this for me. Most people just brush off my interest but you...you listened and even researched a bit." He goes to take another bite, but puts his fork down and frowns. "I feel a bit guilty Danny. I don't deserve this."

"Why?" Damien didn't do anything wrong. He's the definition of a gentleman and his interest in the Victorian era was just something he enjoyed. Just because not many people like it didn't mean that he was weird. He just had different interests. Why would he think he didn't deserve it?

...Unless he really was a vampire and lured me here to suck my blood. Then yeah, I'd be really upset.

"I'm afraid I didn't exactly tell you the true reasoning for this visit." He puts his plate to the side and sighs, now looking much older than I previously assumed. "You see Danny, the true reasoning behind this is a little more...personal."

"Personal?" He  _was_ going to suck my blood! I knew it! 

"Yes. It appears that your...nature...has affected me far more than I'm comfortable with. I know that it is only natural, but I've been trying to fight off my urges ever since you arrived."

I think I know where he's going with this. "I...see."

"Danny, I had to confront you about this before I did something terrible. Something...uncouth." He looks upset. "I could barely keep myself from coming to you in person, so I left the flowers before a carnal side of myself appeared. For you see," he produces a white flower, exactly like one of the ones in my bouquet. "Some of the flowers express passion and desire."

"And you sent them to me because I was  _affecting_ you?" Wow, I've never heard of anyone talking about this through flower messages. Yet another way that Damien was unique. 

Damien nods. "Danny, you do not have to give me an affirmative if you don't wish to, but..."

* * *

Damien seems to...change, once we get out to the garden.

He gives me the option of either being on top or on bottom; he didn't mind either way but wanted me to be comfortable with it. He didn't use his scent to influence me, nor did he try to use my own classification against me; he wanted to know what I would feel comfortable doing. I still decided to bottom, but I had no idea that Damien would take all control of me in a different way. I'm a little apprehensive when he pulls out a thick, silk ribbon and ties it around my wrists, but I decided to go with it. Not even the blindfold is enough to turn me off. I'm more curious than I am nervous about the whole thing, but Damien assures me that it'll all be okay, sweet kisses and whispered words of encouragement easing my fears.

Damien raises one of my wrists to his mouth and presses a quick kiss to the skin. "Danny, before we continue, you need to know something about me."

"What is it?" Is this about to turn into roleplay? I know he takes his lifestyle seriously but I’m not too sure what Victorian roleplay would be like.

"Well...many people have this... _idea_ of me, especially with my being an alpha. But it doesn't quite line up to what's actually underneath my clothes, which isn't the business of anyone except those I allow to see it. And..." I hear him fumbling around with his clothes, before letting out a sigh. Then his hands are on my face, sliding off the blindfold. I blink quickly, the sunlight stinging my eyes, before looking down at the tight black garment on his chest. Damien's hands are behind his back, fingers messing with something for a few brief moments. Then he slides the garment, I think it's a binder, off of his chest and lets it fall to the ground. He eyes me carefully, watching my reaction as I take everything in. His chest...I didn't expect it to be hairy in the first place, but it was much softer, smoother, and most of all rounder. Damien looks like he wanted to cover up, but he folds his arms under his breasts and blushed furiously. "I...I don't...I'm not..." He fumbles over his words, looking away from me.

I want to say something, but I don't want to offend him or hurt him. It took a lot of courage to admit something like that, especially something this personal, so this was probably hard for him. If I said the wrong thing, he'd be hurt or embarrassed. 

I lean up until Damien is straddling my lap, ducking my head and latching onto a nipple. Damien gives a sweet little gasp, going completely still as I give his nipple a good hard suck. It's the best answer I can give; I don't care about Damien's gender, or anything like that because it doesn't change who he is as a person. He must've been expecting a different reaction though, because he's still frozen. I pull back to give his pretty nipple soft kisses and little licks, trying to coax him to do or say something. Eventually, he cradles my head and pulls me forward, prompting me to suck again. 

"Is that answer enough?" I pull back just enough to watch Damien’s face slowly cooling down, though the red on his cheeks remain. He looks much more comfortable now, even giving me a smile.

Damien moves my head to his other breast and cradles me head. "Most people are not as...receptive."

"I'm not most people." Taking the hint, I begin to suckle on his other nipple, grinding it between my teeth. Damien hisses, throwing his head back and tightening his grip on me. Little noises spill from his mouth as I work my mouth around the nub, lathering it with all the attention I gave the other. Damien makes little noises, covering his mouth with his hands to contain them. He begins grinding back ad forth in my lap, fingers digging into my shoulder. It hurts a little, but I don't say anything. Damien is losing himself in this and his expressions are really cute.

Suddenly, his hand is on my chest, pushing me down onto the grass below. I'm so surprised that it's easy for him to knock me over, though it wasn't hard enough to hurt me. Damien raises the blindfold and places it over my eyes. I lift my head so that he can tie it around the back and make sure it’s secure. Then I feel him lean back, and wet fabric presses against my cock, rocking back and forth. I move to sit up, but he keeps me pressed against the ground. "No moving now," he teased. "Let me lead."

I simply nod. Damien quickly removes my pants and boxers before leaning over me again. His hand is on my cock, holding it steady, then I feel something slick and wet against my cockhead. Damien grinds back, rubbing his folds against my dick. I can't help the moan that leaves my lips, making Damien chuckle. I can feel his chest against mine, his body keeping me against the ground. Every time I try to move, he gives my cock a tight squeeze and makes a shushing noise. "Damien-"

"Hush now Danny." He removes his hand and I feel him moving once again. The wetness is removed for a moment, then the entire head of my cock is engulfed. I might've screamed, but I can't be sure. The minute he sank down my brain turned to mush and I wasn't sure where I was anymore. I hear him give another little laugh as he begins grinding with slow, tortuous circles, a small moan leaving his lips. "You feel good."

I can just imagine that he's smirking at me, and I don't think I can last much longer with him teasing me like this. "Damien please." It's the only thing he allows me to say, and he hums as he pretends to think it over. "Please..."

"Please  _what?_ " He punctuates his words with a harsh grind downwards, our moans mingling in the air.

"Do something! Please!"

Silence.

"Very well."

Damien smoothly slides all the way down and rests there for a moment, then moves slowly, rocking his hips in such random ways that it's hard to keep pace with him. I can bring my arms up, but I can't touch him or do anything! His hands are still braced on my chest, fingers digging in lightly. My body jerks, and I give a rough thrust upwards. Damien gasps, then his nails dig in harshly. "Ah ah ah," he chides, slowly pulling himself up until just the tip of my cock was inside him, then brought himself down roughly, groaning at the force of it. "I told you: I'm taking the lead." He tugs at the ribbon that binds my hands and coerces me to sit up, throwing my wrists over his head and to the small of his back and my arms around him. His hands cup my face and bring me down to what I think is his chest again. I navigate around with my mouth until I find his nipple and latch on again, Damien rolling his hips with each pull from my mouth. I run my teeth over the softness of his breast, sucking bruising marks here and there before finally choosing to settle around a nipple. 

He rides with more vigor now, louder moans and gasps leaving his lips. I'm suddenly blinded when he rips the blindfold off of my face, and it takes me a second to adjust. But when I do, I'm greeted to a very disheveled Damien, face and neck dotted with beads of sweat, hair in a mess, and face a deep red. He smiles breathlessly at me, pulling me into a kiss that steals my breath away, mouth demanding and tongue dominating my own. His hands wrap around my neck and he pulls me closer, like he's trying to devour me. All the while, his hips roll and he bounces on top of me even faster. 

"Damien," I gasp, pulling away from his mouth. "Damien, I-"

He shushes me again, nibbling on my neck. "I know Danny." His arms wrap tighter around me and he clenches tightly around me, suffocating me. I yell raggedy, my orgasm practically ripped from me. Damien makes a very pleased sound, grinding down and letting me ride out my own orgasm. I feel his mouth on me, soothing kisses to try and calm me down, then I smell lavender and vanilla surround me. His hands and mouth work wonder on me, lulling me into a very  relaxed sleep.

* * *

When I wake up, I'm still in the garden with Damien, though we're both clean now, and some of my clothes are back on. It takes a moment for me to adjust to the sunlight, but when I do, I’m more aware of the vibrant field of flowers I’m laying in.

His cloak is wrapped around me, the vanilla and lavender smell calming, but whether or not it gets stained, he doesn't seem to care. He's sitting beside me, picking flowers from nearby bushes and gently weaving them together with practiced hands. I don't know what it is at first, but then he presents it to me: a flower crown, made with the flowers he so carefully grew out here. 

"Not only do they compliment your eyes, but they look radiant on you." He leans back a bit to admire the full image, even though I probably look a mess.

I reach up and gently touch the soft petals, which feel just as soft as silk. "What's the message that these tells?" I only recognize about three of them, but the rest are beautiful all on their own. I wouldn't have known that Damien had such the green thumb, but his garden was honestly amazing. And he disturbed the tranquil bunches of flowers for me.

Damien chuckles, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Perhaps one day, I'll let you know." The smile on his face is very mysterious, but nice. I smile back and relax under the sun, feeling warm and calm and safe with him. 

* * *

"You smell like flowers." Amanda wrinkles her nose when I walk through the door, sneezing. "Like, a lot of flowers. Were you rolling around in them or something?"

Yes. "I went on a tour of Damien's house and he showed me his garden. It's huge Amanda. We were walking around for what seems like hours." Not entirely a lie, but not the entire truth. "I think he has just about every breed of flower back there. Even some foreign ones that I've never seen before. And I did trip once. He didn't laugh at me like you would've." I didn't tell her how we ended up rolling around in flowers, though I think she'd rather not know. She's under the impression that I'm just out making friends, and I don't want to ruin that for her. I couldn't imagine what she'd think of me at that point. I always tell her to be safe and not let her urges get the best of her, yet I let it happen five times over...

"Nice crown," Amanda says, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Damien made it for you?"

"Yeah. He showed me the intricate art of making flower crowns." I mock bow. "Does the lady like it?"

"The lady does indeed," she laughs. " Is that gonna be your thing now? Are you gonna start spouting off about your favorite era now? Maybe wow me with some cool Ska facts? Or start wearing a suit and fedora?"

"Hey! I'd make it work! I'd look...fedorable."

Amanda groans. "Dad, please!"

"I think it would rather...suit me."

"Dad! Can you not?!"

"I'd look Ska-kingly well in a suit and fedora Amanda. I might just start a new fashion trend. Open up a store for all kinds of Ska fashion. I'd call it...Hot Skapic."

She grabs a pillow from the couch and starts hitting me with it, complaining that I'm a horrible Dad who makes horrible Dad jokes and I'm a monster for torturing her with them. I'm laughing too hard to fight back or say anything, just letting Amanda hit me until she gets tired. Which isn't going to be soon because she  _really_ didn't like those jokes.

* * *

Going for a walk was probably the worst decision I made today.

Amanda's friends had come over because apparently, there was a project that had to be done by at least four partners, which meant Amanda, the Emmas, and another friend of theirs. Since Amanda hadn't been in school, they decided to come over and get help from her. Amanda kicked me out, but only for an hour or two. So, me trying to give her the space to work with her friends, I decided to go out and take a walk. Craig told me there was another path in the park, and I decided to take it. Because why not? I did want to start getting fit, so I thought going for a simple walk would be nice.

This ended up being a mistake.

Before I left, I eyed Robert’s jacket lying on the couch. I hadn’t given it back yet, but if it’d ward people off, I figured it wouldn't hurt if I wore it over my clothes. I’d give it to him next time I saw him, which could've been today. So I took the nature trail and just relaxed. Became one with nature and observed how nice Maple Bay was when you had a chance to look at it. I didn't notice anyone acting odd, just small children playing on the swings or on the slide, while parents and teenagers watched them. I didn't see anyone I knew, but most people didn't spare me a second glance, so I figured I'd be fine walking on my own. There were other people out, so I didn't feel too worried being alone. So I started to get lost in my music using a pair of old headphones and just focused on the trail.

That's when things went south.

I could feel someone at my right, too close to comfort. The trail was wide enough so that two people could walk side by side, but this guy was pressed against my arm. I tried to move away to give him some room, but he ended up following me. So I sped up a little, trying to gain some distance. Only for him to speed up. Once again, he was against my side, his eyes boring into my skin. I once again tried to make some space, but then  _another_ runner pressed himself to my other side, leaving me sandwiched between the two men. Every time I sped up, they'd keep in step with me. I didn't look at them, instead focusing on my music, but then one of them grabbed a fistful of my ass and I broke into a run.

And then the chase began.

It seemed like the second I got away from the two, more runners appeared out of nowhere to chase me. So many scents assaulted my nostrils, leaving me dizzier and dizzier with each step I took. I knew I had a limited amount of time before I would get caught. I couldn't control my breathing and I lost my breath way faster than I should've. No matter how much I tried to keep my balance, I kept stumbling and tripping, the distance between us getting shorter and shorter with each misstep. The trail had ended at this point, and I’d been running through the woods. It was starting to get darker and the forest was thicker. This was getting bad, and fast. If they caught me, I knew I was in trouble.

I don’t know how long I’d been running when I came to a large clearing. My pursuers fanned out, trying to close in and corner me. I’m so tired and I know I’m slowing down. They’re getting closer now, so close they’re about to get me. I feel myself falling...

”Danny!”

I slam into something warm and solid. I’m too tired to do any fighting, and just find myself collapsing into whatever it was. Arms wrap around me, holding me tight. I'm lifted slightly, but not enough to stabilize myself. I stay in this slumped position and almost black out.

“Hands off! We had him first!”

I can’t tell whose speaking, but I feel like it was the leader of my pursuers. He sounds angry, and close by.

”Oh really? Then why is he wearing my jacket?”

Jacket? Robert? Robert's jacket? He was the only one who loaned me a jacket. Had Robert rescued me? That was really nice of him...

"That could be anyone's jacket."

"Yeah? Well, it's mine. And  _he's_ mine. So you'd better back off." His voice deepened to a growl.

"We could take him from you."

"I'd like to see you try."

I don't know what happens next. I black out.

* * *

There's something really warm pressed against me.

I feel it pressed against my back, between my legs, and something wet by my ear. It's hard, solid, and warm. There's something else, something a bit rough, sliding under my shirt to run over my skin. My cock throbs between my legs and I feel myself becoming wet with slick from the touch. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I like it.

”Those noises are driving me crazy.”

Is that Robert? Was he okay? And what happened to that pack from earlier? 

I try move, but I'm trapped by what I assume is Robert's body. It takes a moment for me to realize that Robert's hands are moving over me, and it's his tongue on my ear. I'm lying on my side, but he's pressed against my back, one of his legs between mine. His dick is insistently pressing against my backside, mimicking thrusts. It takes me another minute to realize that those 'noises' are coming from my mouth: I'm whining and keening with every touch.

"Robert?" I mumble, trying to clear my head. "What happened?"

"I told you before: packs aren't that tough once you prove you can handle them. I got them to back off." His lips are right at my ear, and every word he whispers makes my body shiver. "You sure know hot to pick them, don't you?" I can feel his nose press against the back of my neck and he inhales deeply. "Then again, you smell irresistible. No wonder they chased you around like that."

The whole room begins to fill with his scent, a mixture of whiskey, cigarette, and his own bittersweet smell. I search for something to hold onto and can only dig my fingers into his jacket. He presses closer to me, his lips working at a spot behind my ear while a wandering hand travels down to my groin.  It's went I feel his hand close around my cock that I realize that I'm naked, save for his jacket wrapped around my shoulders. Something hard pushes between my legs and knocks against my dick, and  I couldn't stop the moan that leaves me nor the grind back into him. Robert makes a pleased sound, detaching his lips from my ear and moves to the back of my neck. He bites down lightly, not enough to break skin thankfully, then begins sucking on that spot. 

My breath comes out raggedly, my body on fire. Robert's hands are nowhere near gentle, but the way he's moving puts me on edge. I should tell him to stop..."Robert...please..." What comes out is nothing like what I had in my head, but Robert takes my plea as a plea for more. He shifts, turning me until I'm on my back and he's looming over me, looking like he's going to sink his claws into me. His eyes are darker than I've ever seen them; darker than the time at the Coffee Spoon and the bar. His eyes look purely black, lust the dominant emotion swirling in them. I feel...trapped, but I know he won't be so quick to let me go.

Robert basically rips out of his clothes and dives in, eagerly attacking my chest with his lips. His hands grip my forearms tightly and he holds me at an odd angle as he sucks and licks. His hands grip my waist in such a tight hold I feel like he's going to break me in two. Yet, none of this stops the onslaught of moans coming from me. Robert rolls his hips into mine, our cocks grinding together deliciously. 

Robert cups my chest and finally detaches his lips, licking a trail between them until he reaches my neck, where he leaves another hickey. He leaves mark after mark, all while tweaking my nipples with his thumbs. He pulls back to stare at me, grinning at what must be a dumb expression on my face. "Damn," is all he says. He presses his fingers against my hole and plays with my slick, smearing it around and lightly pressing his fingers in. He's still grinding our cocks together, pre-cum pooling on my belly and drying. 

He moves again, this time coming up my body until he can push his cock between my chest. It feels weird, and I know I probably can't do much for him with my lack of actual breasts, but he still thrusts his cock between them as if I do. I don't see the appeal, but Robert seems to like it because he keeps groaning every time he moves forward. His hands come up and push my chest up, giving more padding for him to thrust into. There's a slight pause for him to release my chest and he moves up again, trying to slide his cock between my lips. 

"Always wanted to fuck this pretty mouth of yours," he growls. "Now open.” He rubs the head of his cock against my lips, smearing the milky liquid  all over my mouth. I hesitate for a moment, but open my mouth just a tiny bit. It’s enough for Robert to shove his cock into my mouth, the head pushing against the back of my throat. I choke a bit at the action; it’s been a while since I’ve done this and he pushed in farther than I was ready to deal with. But Robert doesn’t seem to mind nor care, thrusting in and out of my mouth with rough thrusts. “So fuckin' pretty,” he groans. "I wanted to fuck that mouth of yours after you knocked back all of those shots at the bar." He grabbed my head, guiding me to take his cock faster and deeper. I feel hot tears run down my cheeks from the roughness of it all, but Robert doesn't care, smirking at my tears. "You're fuckin hot when you cry." He keeps thrusting, bruising the back of my throat. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take, and even though I try to push on his hips to get him to stop, he refuses. It doesn't even phase him when I try to close my mouth; he just keeps going until he's satisfied.

"We'll have time for that later," Robert says, finally pulling his cock from my mouth. I thought he would’ve made me swallow, but it sounds like I have to do that again later. "Right now, I wanna taste you."

He climbs off of me and crawls down my body until he's kneeling between my legs. He bites at my body while he moves, leaving deep bite marks in his wake. He stops right above my cock and smirks up at me, bypassing that area completely. Air leaves my lungs as he shoves my legs back until I'm practically bent in half, then dips down to lick a stripe across my hole. I can't hold back the loud groan, Robert chuckling as he laps at me. His hands aren't idle, massaging my ass cheeks while he eats me out. I can hear every obscene sound he makes, though they're muffled and nearly drowned out by my own moans and shouts. I try to grind downwards, but I don't have balance in this position and he slaps my ass harshly every time I make a move. My ass is very oversensitive at this point, days of stretching and pushing keeping me loose and ready. Robert doesn't seem to care, only diving down to eat. He buries his face in my ass, slurping greedily. He's like a starving man whose just been given a five-course meal after months of hunger, happily pushing his tongue as deep into my ass.

"R-Ro-Robert... _nggh_..Robert."

I can't hear his moan over my own sounds, but I can feel the vibration from every sound he makes. More tears began leaking from my eyes, Robert's tongue fucking me with earnest. My hips jerked and my cock twitched whenever his tongue ran over the right places. He'd give me a glare whenever I unconsciously moved away from him and grip my hips, forcing me down onto his tongue. He continued like that, fucking me with his tongue while he pulled my hips down. My cock is leaking pre-cum onto my stomach and I can feel stirring in my stomach. If he keeps this up, I'm going to make a mess all over myself.

As if he was reading my mind, Robert wraps a hand around my cock and gives long, hard strokes, bringing me closer and closer. His tongue twists in just the right way and my vision goes white. I feel myself cumming over my abdomen, staining it in milky fluid that begins to drip towards my face. Robert, satisfied, lets go of my legs and allows me to straighten out, though he drags his tongue through the ropes of cum on me.

"You taste as good as you smell," he purrs, dipping two fingers into my hole. "Felt like you were holding my tongue captive in there. I wanna feel that same thing around my cock." He turns me over and props my ass into the air, giving it a rough slap. The pain makes me yelp, but makes him growl appreciatively. "Fuck, your ass is nice." He grabs my ass and spreads me apart again, squeezing it in his hands. "You're so wet back here, not even from my tongue. That's all you Danny." He lets go of my ass and presses himself against my back, mouthing at my ear. I feel his callous palm begin to explore my chest, coming up to cup my breast. Robert squeezes the roundness a couple times like he's testing the feel. There’s a bit of pain due to my chest feeling sensitive after his earlier treatment, but I don’t tell him to stop. His hand massages my chest while the fingers of his other hand being toying with my loose hole. "Fuck, you're this wet and just from that, eh?" Robert slides a finger into me, massaging my walls and easily finding that perfect spot. "Wish you took me up on my offer that night. The way you swallowed down those shots, made me horny just thinking of what else you could swallow down." 

I simply drop my head onto Robert's pillow, allowing him to stretch me and and play around. You'd think that I'd be in pain, but with how many times Id' been stretched or had a cock in me, I can barely feel them. It just feels like a smooth slide of his digits inside me, the occasional jolt of pleasure when Robert grazes my prostrate. He hums as he moves his finger around, like he's searching for something.  "Why'd you go mute on me? You were just begging and squirming a second ago." Another finger slides in to join the first, still not causing me any pain; I was already wet with slick and saliva, making it easy for him to maneuver around and just play.

Robert slides his digits out of me and presses forward, the slick head of his cock brushing against my hole. His lips trail up from my neck to my ear, laving his tongue along the shell of it, and causing goosebumps to raise on my skin. His teeth grab at his earlobe, and I squirm at the sensation. The head insistently presses against my hole, light teasing but no penetration. Not yet. I can't help a soft whine and push my hips back, hearing a soft chuckle rumble through his chest against my back.

Then his hip snap forward, and he buries himself deep inside me. I scream, not from a wave of pain, but from immense pleasure. Robert's thrust hit home and I have to grip the sheets under me to gain some type of leverage. Robert's smell is much more overwhelming at this point, drowning me in the scent of his pheromones.

"Damn you're tight. I can barely move in here." He hisses, pulling out  _very_ slowly. "To think you took my fingers so easily, yet you feel like a virgin." Then his fingers dig into my hips and he's yanking me back against his cock, thrusting forward. "It's like your trying to milk me dry." 

I don't remember what I was going to say, but all sound dies in my throat as Robert slams his hips forward, rocking into me and almost knocking my head into his headboard. I let out a cry, my body arching up into his, while he rolls his hips against the cleft of my ass. I want to tell him to lighten up, but I feel him sliding back once more, only to shove himself back in, hard and rough. I can barely process any thoughts as Robert sets the pace. His thrusts are brutal, shoving me forward with every slam of his hips. The sound of skin-on-skin is deafening, and the loud cries ripped from me with every thrust are probably enough to wake the neighborhood. Robert bites at my neck, sucking hickeys higher on my neck than I'd be able to hide.

Robert seems to think something is wrong because he stops suddenly, his cock still deep within me. The world spins, Robert moving faster than I can comprehend. He slides out, turns me around, throws my arms around his neck, spreads my legs wide, and presses me against the headboard. Then he shoves back in, brutal pace starting up all over again. My scream is probably enough to wake the whole town at this point and I know I won't last long at this rate, not with how rough he's being. His hand wraps around my throat and squeezes harshly, cutting off my air supply. I try to gasp for breath or do something, but all that comes out is a choked sound.

"Look at you, fucking yourself on my cock like the whore you are." I'm not even aware of it. But his words pierce my rapidly fogging mind and I realize that I'm rolling my hips down, desperately seeking more from him. Robert doesn't mind, his grip tightening on my throat as he presses me header against the headboard. "I can’t wait to leave you dripping," Robert growls. His thrust go from fast to frenzied, deep groaning sounds leaving his mouth with every move. The pressure on my throat increase even more, darkness nearly overtaking my vision. I...I think I'm going to black out.

Then he reaches down to palm my cock, squeezing my throat one final time. My hips jerk forward, Robert's hand falling from my throat to grasp at my chest, and something akin to whines and gasps leave me. I hear Robert growl, his hands digging into my hips and slamming me down as he thrusts up as far as he can go. He groans loudly, sinking his teeth into my shoulder while he pumps wave after wave of seed into me. The sudden release of pressure on my throat startles me into orgasm, forcing another one out of me and ruining the sheets below. 

My body goes limp, feeling boneless and sore. My throat is killing me and my hips feel like they've seen better days. I look up at Robert and try to signal him to move, but he smirks at me, refusing to pull out. Where I should feel him softening, all I feel is Robert thrust shallowly, his cock still hard within me. Teeth bite at my neck, leaving marks wherever he finds room. He lets me slump against the headboard, releasing my hips to fondle my already over-sensitized nipples and rolling his hips into mine. I give a feeble little whimper, knowing I'm going to be in for a long night. All Robert does is chuckle, his lips right at my ear.

"Let's have some fun."

* * *

Robert is quick to kick me out the next morning.

He's already dressed, his jacket returned, and my clothes neatly folded at the end of the bed. I can see him outside smoking a cigarette, but when he turns and sees me siting up, he just gives me a nod and turns back to his cigarette. He didn't say it, but his message is clear: we had our fun, now get out. Even when he comes back inside, he simply grabs something from his fridge and turns on the TV. I think he says something along the lines of 'that was fun' but he doesn't acknowledge me again after that. I'm quick to get dressed, though I wish I could've showered before I left. I can feel slick and other substances drying on my body from everything we did last night and it isn't the best sensation in the world.

I didn't really know what I was expecting from Robert. He didn't strike me as the type to want something...lasting; of course he'd just send me away once he was done. I barely even know him; why did it matter that I was probably just another notch on his bed post? I couldn't even call us friends at this point. We were just...acquaintances, weren't we? I didn't know much about him and he didn't seem to want to know me past know that I'm an available Omega. I guess...I can try to be friends with him, but if he would only want to mess around, I don't think I could do that. 

Amanda is still asleep when I make it home, so I head to my bathroom to take a shower and clean myself off. Robert's smell is covering my own now, but I can't stand the smell of smoke and want it gone. I make sure the water is scalding hot before I step it. It initially hurts when the water first hits my skin, but I get used to it and stand under the spray, just letting the water wash over me. I felt dirty, and I know I'm going to have trouble hiding all the bruises Robert left on me. Hopefully no one will think it weird if I wear a high collar shirt...

* * *

I'm in the middle of more planning for my bakery when my phone lights up. I was going to ignore it, thinking it was just Robert deciding he wanted to have another go, but something tells me that he wouldn't want to chat after last night. He had probably already set his sights on someone else by now...

I guess it couldn't hurt to see who it was.

_Hello neighbor! I really hope this isn't a bad time, but I need your help with something._

I'm immediately on edge. Joseph had been acting very...hungry every time I was around, and I'm not sure I want to be around him again. But I also don't want to be rude and just reject him right out. He was friendly when he wasn't hitting on me, and maybe he really did need some help with something. I wouldn't want to be rude...but I don't want anything to happen between us. I'm both scared and intrigued: does Joseph really need help, or is this a way for him to jump me?

I hesitantly reply.

**_Sure. I'm free. What do you need?_ **

His reply is instantaneous.

_I heard from good sources that you're a fantastic baker. I was wondering if you'd be able to help me with a little bake sale for the church. The kids and I are baking some treats of our own, but we'd love to have you share your expertise! It'll be fun!_

Oh. Well that sounded nice. And it was a bake sale; I wasn't just going to say no.

**_I'd love to help out. What do you need me to do?_ **

_Great! The kids have already started, but it'll be better if you're here with us._

And there's where it didn't sound too great. Going  _inside_ of Joseph's house? I wasn't sure I wanted to do that. Not with Mary around delving into my secrets, not with the twins trying to steal souls, and not with an Alpha who seems like he'd do anything to get with me. And after the past couple days, especially the night before with Robert, I wasn't sure if this was the best. I felt bad enough that I went through the entire cul-de-sac as it was, but now Joseph wanted a piece too? Would I ever catch a break?

**_I'll be over in 20 minutes._ **

I reached for the last of my suppressants and counted out. I still had all five pills. If I down all of them, maybe I could ward off Joseph. But there's also the risk of me overdosing again. Taking two was normal. Taking more than two within six hours was dangerous, and what landed me in the hospital in the first place. But I hadn't been careful this week and that led to me having sex with every Dad around the neighborhood. Now, one of the most persistent was inviting me into his home, and I'd already agreed. If I didn't take these, then I'd have been with a  _married man_  in addition to all the ones I'd already been with.

What was I to do?

* * *

I make the short walk over to Joseph's house, my feet feeling heavier with each step. Joseph was nice, but there was something about him that was off. Not just the fact that his scent was far too clean, but the fact that he wasn't ashamed to be flirting with another man  _while he was married._

I knock on the door, praying that it isn't Joseph who answers.

"Who's there?"

"It's uh...Danny."

The door opens, the rest of the way, revealing Joseph's eldest. I think Chris was his name.

"I know who you are," Chris says boredly.

"So...are you helping your father with the bake sale?"

"No."

Wow he was blunt.

Before I manage to say anything else, Chris walks into an adjacent room, leaving me in front of the open doorway. I don't want to just go in since I hadn't really been invited in, but I didn't want to keep him waiting for long. But Joseph came though with a save, peeking his head around the corner.

"Danny! You made it."

I smile nervously. "I wasn't just going to leave you hanging."

He comes over with wide arms, engulfing me in a hug before I could move. Up close, I thought his scent would be prominent, but there's nothing. Only the scent of rose, likely from whatever detergent he used. How...how was it possible that Joseph let nothing show?

"I'm so glad you could come by." I hold back a shiver at how close his lips are to my ear and the double meaning of his words. "Are you ready to bake?"

I pull away from the hug before this gets any weirder. "I'll take anything as an excuse to bake. I love it."

"That's the kind of confidence I like to see in a baker. Come on; we've already started a few things."

Josephe leads me inside his house, a bright, spacious place full of nautical knicknacks. There are family pictures, a few pictures of the kids when they were younger, and a picture of Joseph and Mary from a few year ago according to the time stamp. It was much neater than our house was, lacking any clothes lying around or books scattered everywhere. It was nicer than I thought. 

Chris has already escaped from us, probably heading to an upper level of the house. But the twins come sprinting out of the kitchen, running in sync. Literally. They even come to a stop at the same time, stopping on the same foot. They blink creepily at me and smile slowly.

"Ah, and here are the twins. Christisn, Christie, say hello to Danny."

They turn to him. "Hello father." Then to me. "Hello Danny. We had such fun with your daughter back at the barbecue. We're sad she left before we could finish playing."

I might scream. I feel like Amanda didn't feel the same way. She stayed as far away from those two as possible while she was there.

"Kids," Joseph says, drawing their attention from me. "Come on. Dial it back on the creepy twin schtick."

...Even though I’m scared, I sense an opportunity.

"Wait," I tell Joseph. "I want to try something." I squat down so that I'm at their level. "Can you two say, 'Come play with us, Danny?'" I see the irony which frigtens me further, but I want to see how this plays out.

"Oh no." Joseph bites his lip.

The twins stare up in unblinking unison. "Come play with us Danny."

Joseph covers his mouth and looks away, but he's clearly holding back a laugh.

I've watched too many horror movies for my own good but I need to take this all the way through.

"Okay, now say 'Please help us, Mothra!'"

"Please help us Mothra!"

"Danny, please-" he chokes, obviously trying not to break in front of the kids The twins seem to be catching on and eagerly look to me, no doubt wanting to see Joseph break. But can we really? Will they even know this one?

"Alright, this one might be long. Try saying: by the darkest sun-"

"-that casts its menacing ray on the furthest of madness, we sense your intentions, Danny,” they finish.

Holy crap! I didn't think they'd actually know it!

They take a step closer to me. "The gibbering of mad cultists whisper wicked words in the temporal winds. They inform us that you are not to be trusted. U..." they trail off, looking at me in confusion. "U..." Christie tries silently sounding out the word, while Christian is trying to spell it out. But I don't think they know how to say it.

"U...Ur...Urs..."

The room goes silent. Where it was silent in shock due to the two creeping us out, it's silent as the twins tries to get the final word. But it slams the nail into the coffin as Joseph loses his mind. He's laughing so hard that he's red in the face, to the tips of his ears. The twins giggle along, happy that they managed to break him. I think that it's more the fact that they messed up rather than the fact that they knew the reference made it better.

"Great job guys! The word you were looking for was 'usurper' though."

"Usurper..." they repeat slowly. Then their eyes brighten and they grin up at me.

"We were scary?" Christian asks.

"I was terrified." I really was. The way they just picked it up after I started speaking was incredibly scary.

"Really scary?" Christie asks.

"I almost peed myself."

Even though he's trying to stop, Joseph keeps laughing into his hand. The twins look at his red face and giggle as well, glad they have new material in their arsenal.

"If you really want to be scary, try 'he who walks behind the rows'," I tell them.

The two begin practicing their new line, and obviously pleased with a new arsenal of spooky weapons, leave to go terrorize the rest of the community. My work with  them...is now done.

"They're going to do that for weeks now."

"And when those get old, I teach them some lines from The Thing."

It feels nice just being casual with Joseph, without him flirting with me. And now that I know that the twins are just doing that to be scary, it feels a lot more relaxed.

"Please don't. They'll be coming to you for new material."

"I appreciate the challenge."

Joseph is going to reply, but there's a crash from the kitchen that interrupts us. Joseph turns towards the sound, looking concerned. "Christie?"

No one answered. Then again, she ran off with her twin, so it wasn't likely she was in the kitchen.

"Excuse me," Joseph says politely.

He runs off to the kitchen to check. Wow, he must have his hands really full. A lot of being a father is trying to keep your kids from harming themselves. And because Joseph has four, he probably has to keep on his toes a lot. I consider chasing him to help, but I'm probably better suited out here.

There's...a surprising amount of books on the bookshelf, children's books crammed into the lowest shelve, while the top is filled with different versions of the Bible, along with...romance novels? A whole serious of romance novels actually. All rated R. I take a peek into one and immediately slam it close.

Definitely rated R.

I glance away from the books, and something catches my eye. It's a silver necklace, a very expensive one at that. But it's just on the floor. Shouldn't this be around someone's neck? What's the story here?

I give it a small sniff. There's something there, some instance of a scent, but too faint for me to make out. I decide to put it back down; it isn't my business to know, so I won't pry. Instead, I head to the kitchen.

Christie is giggling from Joseph's arm, a lot calmer than she was before. And where was her brother?

"Christie is the calmer of the two. And the twins are easier to keep track of when they aren't together," Joseph says, as if reading my mind.

"Oh. But where's Christian?"

"He ran off."

I'd be very concerned about that, but if Joseph acted like it wasn't a big deal, then I guess I'd just roll with it.

Christie dips a spoon into brownie batter and gives it a taste. She makes a funny little face and drops the spoon onto the counter. "Dad, it's too sweet!"

"You're too sweet!" Joseph teases.

"No I'm not!"

"You're so sweet, we might have to water you down. With spiders!" He snags her around the waist with one hand, locking her in his arms. 

Christie squeals, struggling to get away. "No! Not spiders!"

Joseph begins tickling her with his free hand. Between the laughing and squirming, I don't know how he's holding her so steady. But the girl is locked in place with no way to leave. Then again, with four children, it's no wonder why Joseph is a pro at this. He's probably been wrangling them much longer than I have.

I take advantage of this free moment to taste the brownie batter and also make a face. Yeah, it is too sweet. It tastes like pure syrup, not chocolate. My baker's instincts are kicking in, and my hands itch to work some magic on this batter and turn it into something much better. I can think of four different ways to use it and six to change it completely.

Christie, now free from Joseph's arms, climbs onto the stool beside me and points to the batter. "Too sweet?"

"Way too sweet." I put my hand to my chin. If she lets me take the reigns, I could definitely turn these around. "We can either water it down, or turn it into something else. Something better."

"Better?" Christie repeats, looking at the batter curiously. "How?"

"Well, we can add peanut butter to it and make it less sweet and make them peanut butter brownies, we can make cookie brownies, or we can make them extra special. What do you say?"

Christie doesn’t have to think for long. "Extra special!" Christie cheers.

I laugh. Her energy when she's not with her brother is infectious. "Alright. To do this, you have to tell me you're favorite dessert."

"Favorite? Um...red cake!"

"Red cake?" I look to Joseph for help. I’ve no idea what red cake is. I mean, I have some ideas but I don't know if my vision of red cake is the same as Christie's.

"She means red velvet," he translates. "If it's an option, she'll always get red cake when we go out."

"Red velvet? We can work with that." I sneak another glance at Joseph. "Do you mind if I take over?"

He gives me a mock bow. "Do as you must, oh master baker."

Christie watches carefully as I turn the once too sweet batter into the makings for the perfect bottom for our red velvet cheesecake brownies. The batter of the other dessert it a little more pink than I want it, but I wasn't about to correct Christie and make her think that she was wrong. Instead, I let her add as much red coloring as she wanted until the deep red batter I had made was now a bright pink. Christie is asking questions every now and then, interested in the dessert I was making and what the end result will be. I think she was happy helping out and making something a little better than boring old brownies.

"Now what?" She asks as I pour the batter into a pan.

I hand her one of the large mixing spoons I'd been using. "You get the privilege of licking this spoon."

Christie takes is eagerly and attacks the leftover batter while I sit the pans on the middle tray of the oven. Joseph cleans up, not doing much but observing while Christie and I had been baking. Now, I think he wanted to say something, but didn't want to interrupt what we were doing.

Christie licks her lips and tosses the spoon into the sink. "How long will it take?"

"About thirty minutes give or take."

She dips her finger into the batter bowl and scoops out a dollop to eat. "You bake better than Daddy." She pulls the bowl towards her and begins scooping out more.

Joseph looks highly offended by the statement. "I thought you liked baking with Daddy?"

Christie takes more leftover batter, using her whole hand to scoop some up. "I do. But Mr. Danny is better. I wanna bake with him more." She looks up at me with large blue puppy dog eyes. "Can you come over again? We can make cupcakes."

I only knew her for an hour and she already knew my weakness. "Cupcakes are my favorite."

"Yay!" Christie cheers, hugging my pant leg. She lets go and turns to Joseph, who sill looks offended. "Can I go play sparkle pony?"

Joseph nods. "Of-"

But Christie has already dashed out the room.

"-course," Joseph finishes with a laugh. "She doesn't do well with adults. Neither of the twins do. I'm surprised she was so attentive."

I shrug. "She got to help and make something she really liked. I think she was just curious because it's different."

He comes around the counter to where I was standing and dips his finger into the bowl. Like Christie, he scoops a large amount onto his finger and licks it off. "Pretty good."

"Thank you." At least this gesture wasn't perverted.

Suddenly, I was overwhelmed by a sharp, oddly bitter scent that seemed to fill the whole kitchen. The aroma from our baking no longer remained, nonexistent under this strong fragrance. I'm hit so suddenly that my legs give and I topple over, right into Joseph's waiting arms. It was when he grabbed me that I realized that it was coming from him. Finally, I can smell his scent and it's so strong that I feel like I'm gonna pass out. Had he not been holding me, I would've banged my head on the counter.

"Danny...you do things to me I haven't felt in  _years._ " He lifts me so that I'm slouched against his chest, face pressed into his shirt. Like this, I suffocate in his scent, which I'm hard-pressed to figure out how he hid it so well. I’ve never met someone who can keep their scent so perfectly hidden before. "I wanted you from Day One. You kept hiding from me and running from me, like you were scared. I don't mean any harm. I just want to..." His lips trace the shell of my ear. "Get to know you better."

I'm so dizzy I can't think about fighting him. I want him, my body is telling me that this is what I need, even though it's wrong. Isn't he married? Aren't his kids are somewhere in this large house? And Mary was probably here too! This was wrong. If we get caught, I'd be humiliated!

"Would you have really hid that scent from me by taking those  _disgusting pills?"_ He bares his teeth, then smiles charmingly and begins nipping my ear. His hand digs into my back pant pocket and he reveals the two white pills I’d been contemplating taking. He crushes them in his hand and lets the powder flutter to the floor. "I'm glad you didn’t, though I’m disappointed that you brought them along. It’s alright now. This is more...natural.”

How did he know that? How did he know I had them on me? And how'd he know I thought about taking them again?

"Danny, your body is probably immune to those things by now. They'd only last half an hour." His lips are at me neck, running down the column of my throat. "You smell so delicious. I want to eat you up."

I've no doubt he would.

* * *

"Do you know the difference in having sex with a woman versus a man?"

I don't know how Joseph can still talk at this point. I'm so far gone I don't even remember my own name. Joseph knows exactly what to do, as if he's reading my mind. If I think he's off by even an inch, he'll change position and hit exactly the right spot. Or, if there's a place on my body I might want bitten or licked, he knows which spot to touch and kiss. I want him to stop, but I want him to keep going. I want to push him away, but I keep pulling him closer.

"Women," Joseph begins, "Can be easy. Not all of them, but some. Some of them willingly spread their legs for a good fuck. But men? Sometimes, being with a man is like a game. You have to say the right words and get them to trust you."  

Has he done this with a man before? He seemed like such a straight-laced youth pastor; I didn't think he'd ever look at a man in any way but friendly. But the way he's talking makes it seems like he's been with a few men before. 

Yet here I was, pressed against the counter while Joseph fucked me from behind. He moved in all the right ways, hitting my sweet spot on the first try. His hands moved all over my body, keeping me in throes of passion while his hips moved at a frenzied pace. 

Joseph chuckles from behind me. “You however, were scared of me. It hurt that you kept running, though now that I’ve got you trapped...” he pulls almost all the way out and rests there. He leans up to press his lips to my ear. “I’m not letting go.” Then he slams forward and hits home. I bite my lip hard enough to draw blood, his thrust almost drawing a loud scream. The way he’s moving is unforgiving and his hands are possessive on me. He wants to mark me but he knows he can’t. Joseph had been wanting me for the longest time but-

"Daddy!"

Christie runs into the room and looks at us. I go stock still, horrified at the thought of this little girl catching me and her father in an awkward position. The way we were standing behind the counter, she couldn't really see anything. But the second she ran around to check the oven, she'd see the position we were in and ask questions I don't want to answer. Luckily, she simply stares at us in confusion, probably wondering what was going on. "Are they done?"

Joseph thrusts slowly, inching back in. I grasp at the counter to try and stop my moan. I don't want to scar Christie with this. "I-I just checked them a minute ago," I tell her, trying not to grind back into Joseph. "Th-they're almost d-done." Joseph pulls all the way out and pushes in again; I can almost feel the smirk on his face. "Give them another fifteen minutes." I feel him begin to start a steady rhythm, not hard enough that Christie would hear, but not soft enough that it gives me room to relax. It takes all of my willpower to not look so awkward. "I'll call you as soon as they're done."

"Okay." She runs off with pony in hand, unaware of what we was going on.

I breathe a sigh of relief, only to choke on my breath at the next hard thrust. Joseph starts his brutal pace again, fingers digging into my hip. His other hand is on my shoulder, pushing me forward until I'm spread on the counter. Faster than I can comprehend, Joseph pulls out, flips me over, and rams back in. I suck in a lungful or air, forcing down tremors wrought from Joseph's thrusts. There's nothing to grab except him, so I latch onto Joseph like a lifeline and hold on like my life depended on it.

"I need to see that beautiful face of yours Danny." He runs this thumb over my lips. "I can only imagine what these pretty lips would look like stretched over my cock. You're already taking all of me like the little whore you are." His hand wraps around my throat and squeezes. "Saved the best for last, did you? Don't think I haven't seen the marks from the other, and smelled them on your body. Tell me Danny: did you spread yourself open like this for any of them? Did you spread your legs for Craig, Hugo, Robert, Damien, Mat, and Brian? Were you such a needy little Omega that you let each of them fuck this wet little hole? Or did you let them fuck your throat and ruin that beautiful face of yours?”

I was almost ashamed at how he said it, but my mind was fuzzy and my body was on fire. If I could respond to him, I would've tried to protest him calling me a whore, no matter how true it was. But his thrusts were hitting home and I couldn't think of a good reply. My knees are trembling and my toes are curling; I can barely keep my voice down enough so that I don't rouse suspicion. If Joseph doesn't want his kids to hear, he doesn't care, if the loud growls and grunts leaving his mouth are any indication. He's so possessive, fingers digging into my hips so hard I feel like I'll have bruises for days, and the only time his mouth leaves mine is when he's degrading me.

Joseph shoves himself as deep as he can and grinds against my sweet spot, rolling his hips and creating a delicious friction. "I want to see that pretty hole full of my cum Danny. I want to see how I ruined you. Do you want that my slutty Omega? Do you want me to cum inside you? Of course you do; you've been wanting it all week."

That's a lie. Joseph's been wanting to get me ever since I arrived, and now that he had the chance, he was taking full advantage of it. But logic isn't helping me right now. The only thing present was desire. Joseph knows what he's doing, and I come apart in his hands, body drawing tight, coiling in and then ecstasy swamping through me. I bite my lips so hard that I feel blood leak onto my tongue and my cock is pulsing as spurt after spurt of cum splatters across Joseph's shirt. Instead of stopping like I thought he would, Joseph moans in delight, and _he keeps going_. I feel another spurt of cum leave me and try to clench down, but Joseph sees that as encouragement and keeps thrusting, even through the aftershock of my orgasm. I shudder, feeling Joseph pulse inside and thinking that he's done, but he doesn't stop. He keeps pounding away, thrusting and pulling and slamming, even though I'm already worn out. I whimper, feeling pressure building again. I don't think I can handle another round, but my cock rises again and starts to leak.

"J-Joseph! Please, wait! I-I can't....I can't-"

"You will." Joseph's chuckle is downright sinful. "I want to see it Danny. Show me. Show me what I do to you. Show me what those other Alphas can't do for you."

"Joseph," I keen. Then he's grinding, the head of his cock smashed against my sweet spot and rubbing insistently. His fingers, previously holding my hips, now explore my body. Each plead I try to utter is interrupted by moans and groans. Joseph, even if he was listening, still doesn't stop, not until I'm a babbling mess below him. Then I cum again, this one just as strong as before and rippling straight through me. Joseph has enough sense to slam his hand over my mouth, because the scream I was going to give would've alerted the entire neighborhood. I have no strength left, not enough to hold onto him, and I collapse onto the counter. Joseph rolls his hips, letting out an almost inhuman sound as he pumps wave after wave of seed into my body. It's searing hot, the heat making me moan in pain; I've never felt anything like this before, but Joseph was probably a special kind of Alpha. And speaking of the blonde, he grins down at me and finally pulls out, though  _very_ slowly.

"Look at that," he murmurs as he plays with my hole. "If only you could see this Danny. All that white dripping out of your pretty ass.” He leans down to lick stray cum off my chest, grinning up at me. "You taste just like I imagined."

* * *

The brownies are a hit.

Christie is first to try one and she's in love with them, begging me to make a batch for the house. Joseph assures her that I will come back over and bake with her some more. I have to give her an answer, because she's just a kid. Just because her dad is...strange, doesn't mean that she has to suffer for it. And I'm a sucker for kids, so of course I tell her yes. But she's going to be in the kitchen the entire time. I don't want to risk getting cornered by Joseph again.

I manage to sell the brownies without much of a problem. People love the twist I put on normal brownies and buy at least five a person. They sell out only an hour after the bake sale starts. Christie happily takes money and all the compliments on the taste, while Joseph tells everyone that I was the saving grace of the bake sale, that I made the brownies everyone loved. It causes unwanted attention and I’m nervous the entire time; I've never handled attention well and this crowd doesn't make it any better. It doesn’t help that Joseph keeps brushing over my backside and giving my ass squeezes. He cleaned up and plugged me before Christie came to check the brownies for the final time, and now I’m standing around, accepting compliments while the plug keeps Joseph’s cum inside my body. It’s awkward and feels weird, but I have no chance to take it out. Joseph will know and he made it clear I have to keep it in until later. I didn’t want to obey, but I also didn’t want anyone to know what was going on.

”This was a success,” Joseph says once the bake sale winds down. “Everyone enjoyed your brownies.”

”I’m glad they appreciated them.” I wrap up the spare brownies I saved for Amanda to avoid looking at him. He's just acting normal, like he didn't pull a 180 on me and screw me in his kitchen. Like he didn't use his scent to make me dizzy and confused. Like he wasn't married.

Joseph gropes my crotch roughly and smirks. Christie is already in the house and no one is left to see him touch me. His hand reaches around and feels the end of the plug in me, pushing it in a bit. “I enjoyed having you in the kitchen Danny. Very much.”

I’m so embarrassed that I don’t even dignify him with a response.

* * *

Seven.

Seven men.

Seven different men, six single, one married.

Each day of the week, I fucked a different guy like it was just a thing normal people did. And they took me for what I was worth, sating their needs with no second thought on if we should really be doing this. I didn't fight them off, and they didn't reject me. I may have been paranoid about it, but I still just let it happened. They just wanted to mate  _something._  And I was that something, something that smelled good and paraded around like he didn't reek of pheromones. And did I stop any of them?

No. I didn't stop any of them. I just let it happen. I let all of these Alphas just  _use_ me and sate their needs during heat. Yes, blame fell on me for falling victim to my hormones, for getting so entranced by their scent that I couldn't think of anything but getting fucked, but it didn't stop me from feeling like a slut. Now I reeked with a confusing mix of all of them, plus dried remnants of my own slick, and no amount of cologne or perfume or anything could cover it up. Anyone I walked by would know what I had done. They would know that I had been around the neighborhood, with all the good Alphas.

Everyone would know that I was a slut.

Was this was my parents wanted to prevent? Me turning into this? Is this why they were so protective of me? Because they knew what it was like, or saw it happen before? I don't know, but I don't want to face anyone at the moment. Not any of the alphas, no one in the neighborhood, not even Amanda! I just want to be alone. I don’t want to face the world, see their disapproving stares, or their judgement, or pity.

I just want to be alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love baking. I really do; it's a favorite past time of mine. So, I decided to not only give Dadsona some backbone and some knowledge of certain topics, but also make him a baker because not only will the bakery play a part in the story later on, but I wanted to give him an outside activity so he isn't just...sitting around. So that was the inspiration behind that. I also still have tea with my mother, something I enjoy doing. We usually have cookies or cake while we do. It's a thing we love doing, so that's another little aspect I gave Danny. Lastly, when I first played pool with my guy friends, I wiped all of them. They had no idea why I was so good at when I never played before. Then I continued to beat them, so that's why Danny is good at pool.
> 
> So this chapter got right down to the sex, but that was intentional. All the scenes went through at least three re-writes, but it was all necessary. I also didn't want it to be non-con; even though a part of Danny didn't want it, his body went without going through a heat for so long that his body wants him to go through a heat, and his instincts wanted him to be sated. That's why he would give in.  
> Again, I'm sorry for the month long wait (two months now happy December) but things were just...they weren't good at home. I will see you guys next chapter. And if you guys have any questions you want me to answer in private or anything you want to talk about in regards to the story, you can hit me up on tumblr (same username) and message me there. Thank you all for the comments, kudos, and bookmarks and I will see you guys next chapter.


	3. Loathing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm never leaving my house again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for that long ass wait last chapter. There was a lot going on and I'm just glad to be past it. So, this chapter will be a bit on the depressing side. Last chapter, there were praises among praises for all the smut (which honestly made me blush damnit you guys), but there was still a matter of the aftereffects. A couple of you were probably wondering how Danny was going to react to what happened, so here it is. There is a little bit of Amanda's thoughts in here, which will be italicized so you can tell the difference.

_My dad's been acting strange lately. Really strange. I don't even recognize who he is anymore._

_I think it's called dissociation. Like...he's there, but I don't think he's really there. I see him doing chores and moving around the house, but I never see him actually **here**. Here as in, here with me. In the right mind. He goes silent, he doesn't move for hours, and sometimes, he spaces out so badly he doesn't even register pain. He was pulling something out the oven  **without wearing oven mitts** and didn't even flinch when he touched hot metal. It wasn't until I panicked and put his hands under water did he finally feel something, but normal people don't do that. If I was younger, I would've chalked it up to him having undiscovered mental superpowers that he's secretly using, but I'm older than that and I know something isn't right. He's been awfully secretive lately. And I don't mean 'I got inked in college and never told you' secretive. More like 'There's something I should tell you but I'm not going to because you can't handle it' secretive._

_I don't like it._

_Whatever he's hiding from me, it's tearing him apart. I don't know if it's because he can't find the right words to tell me, or if he wanted to forget about it, but he needs to let it go. He always tells me that I bottle things up and that it's unhealthy, and now I see how unhealthy it really is. He's losing weight, he's not focused, and he keeps hurting himself. I hate seeing him reduced to this. I hate seeing him like this. It's almost like...like..._

_No. No, he can't be using suppressants again, can he? He told me he stopped. He told me he wasn't going to use again. He said they didn't work on him anymore, that he'd have to buy a stronger prescription. Did he actually buy them? Is he using a stronger brand and just hiding them from me? Is he overdosing again? What's really going on? Why does he keep lying?_

_I sigh and push open the door to his room. "Dad? Are you okay?"_

* * *

"Dad?" Amanda cautiously pokes her head into my room. "Are you okay?"

I nod. "I'm fine."

Lie.

"...okay..." She steps inside and stands beside the bed. She makes a move to sit down, then straightens and looks at my messy bed and the clothes scattered everywhere. "Do you...want me to make you breakfast before I go to school?" 

"I'll be fine." I'm not hungry anyways. My stomach is constantly churning and I don't think I can handle anything right now.

"Do you want me to pick up anything from the store on my way home?"

"If you want snacks or something then you can stop, but I don't want anything." I _want_ to forget what I did, but that's not something you can buy at a store.

She bites her lip, looking like she wants to say more, but stops herself. "Okay. Then...I guess I'm off to school."

"Alright sweetie. Make good choices and have a good day." Make better choices than I ever did.

Amanda sighs quietly, then gets up from the bed. She moves to exit the room, then turns back to me with worried eyes. "Are you...are you sure you're alright Dad? You aren't acting like yourself."

"Amanda, I promise you I'm fine. I'm just tired." Another lie. 

She doesn't look like she believes me, but if she doesn't leave for school now, she'll be late. And she knows that I'll be upset if she's late. Instead of saying what she wants to, Amanda gives me a little wave and walks off. A few moments later, the door shuts and I hear the lock click. Amanda will be gone for a couple hours, but I know she'll come straight home after school. She's been doing that a lot lately. She thinks I'm sick and doesn't want to leave me alone for too long. She thinks that I'm going to collapse, but has no clue what's really going on.

I don't have the heart to tell her.

My phone lights up every two minutes with a new message from someone. Someone being one of the Alphas I've been with. I don't know what any of them say; I refuse to read any of them and I'm seconds away from just deleting them all. I feel like it's all about what happened during  _that week_ and I don't want to think about that ever again. I want enough time to pass so that everyone just moves on and forgets about it. Pheromones were running high and no one was thinking rationally. Now that my head is clear and no scent is making my head fuzzy, I feel more ashamed of what I did then anything else. I haven't left the house in four days because of it.

...Well, I went out  _once._

I needed to go to the post office to mail a couple of things to Amanda's college. While the walk there was short in terms of distance, all the stares made it seem like it was hours away. Even after heats like that pass, it’s still very easy to detect who’s been mating and who hasn’t. If someone has a single, solitary scent then that means nothing happened. If they're covered in a thick wall of their partner's scent, then it was clear they were married or already claimed. If they had a very confusing scent, that meant that they had been with many different partners, which was frowned upon. So the moment I was around people, everyone could tell what I had done. Some people outright laughed at me. Some people looked disapproving. Some were sympathetic to me, and some people told me I was a slut straight to my face; It was main some of the people that tried to corner me and the packs that couldn't get to me, but it still hurt. Getting there felt like it took two hours when it only took a couple minutes, and by the time I left, I was burning in shame. I took a bunch of back alleys and sprinted home to avoid the looks. 

I haven't gone out since. I didn't need to do any shopping since Amanda and I went last week and filled the cabinets and the fridge. I didn't have a job, so I had no obligation to be anywhere. And I didn't just go for walks or exercise or anything like that, so I didn't need to go to the park. I didn't really have a reason to go out. If I wanted fresh air, I could just open all the windows. If I wanted sunshine, the other couch in the living room was a nice sun spot. If I needed something to do, I could clear out some of the boxes just sitting in the garage; we aren't done fixing up the house yet and there's still some stuff to move around. I had a lot to do in the house before it could actually be a home. I'd survive in here for a while.

My phone lights up again, and I look at the screen. Twenty messages from Craig, twelve from Mat, six from Damien, fourteen from Brian, eleven from Hugo, twenty seven from Robert and thirty two from Joseph-actually, make that thirty three. It doesn't matter how persistent they are; I'm still not going to open them. A couple of them even messaged me on my computer, but I haven’t logged into Dadbook to check it. Not that I really want to.

I think about getting up to make breakfast, but I don’t really feel hungry, so I go to the couch and watch some TV. There’s nothing to watch right now, but Amanda and I have recorded a bunch of movies and shows, so maybe I’ll watch some re-runs of something. But after endless scrolling and scrolling, I don't think I want to watch anything. Nothing catches my eye and none of the movies I was so eager to see seem appealing anymore. I can watch them later. 

Maybe I can do some baking. Baking usually cheers me up. 

* * *

”I’m home!” Amanda calls.

"In the kitchen!” I call back, not stopping what I was doing. 

“Mr. Vega gave me this note to give you. I don’t think I’m in trouble but-whoa.” She stops short at the counter, looking around the kitchen. “Dad, what is all this?”

My fingers don’t stop carefully folding the dough for cannoli. “I felt like baking, but I didn’t know what I wanted to make. So I made a little of everything. Do you want a snack? There’s pie, brownies, cookies, cupcakes, cake, and tarts around here somewhere. Or if you want to try something new, just give me a little while to finish these cannolis.” 

Amanda looks at me oddly. “I uh...I guess I’ll take some cookies.”

”What kind? I made at least five different ones. They should be over by the window to cool.”

Amanda doesn’t move. “Dad...are you sure everything is alright? I’ve never seen you bake this much in one sitting.”

”Practice makes perfect hun.” I had nothing better to do. I thought about stopping a couple of times, but then I would have to find something else to do and there was nothing that caught my interest. At least if I was baking, I was keeping busy instead of just laying in bed. Even though that sounded better than anything.

”Yeah...sure.” She takes two cookies and sits at the table, which has numerous pies on it. “You know how you say I can talk to you about anything? The same applies in reverse. You can talk to me about stuff that’s bothering you. I won’t judge you or anything.”

”I know Manda. But I told you. I’m fine.” Lies! Lies! Lies!

I’m nothing but a liar. All I’ve done is lie to my daughter. How can I talk to her about what happened? She’ll never trust me again! And she’ll probably be upset that I argued with her about trust a couple days back and now I don’t trust her enough to tell her what happened!

“Are you absolutely sure?” She asks again. “Because this isn’t like you. I know you’re really passionate about your baking and all, but baking for eight hours? Isn’t that a bit much?”

I couldn’t help it. It was like my hands were on autopilot while my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. I felt myself grabbing ingredients and making things, but my mind wasn’t with them. All I did realize was that baked good after baked good kept appearing all around the kitchen until the whole house started to smell like gingerbread.

“I told you; I’m just practicing. I’m experimenting with different flavors and the such.” 

”...Dad, I know something’s wrong. And I know it’s probably tough to talk about. But that doesn’t mean you bottle it up. I see the irony in me talking about bottling things up when I do the same thing, but it might be worth getting out into the open.”

I had the best daughter. It was too bad she had a terrible father.

"I'm fine Amanda. Really." Another lie. Why does it get easier and easier to lie to her?  "My body is just...weird, after going through a heat wave. I haven't gotten back to 100% yet after going so long on suppressants, then jumping back into a heat cycle. I think my body needs to readjust to it's natural cycles again, and I'm weak while I try to get back to that point. That's why I haven't felt the best lately." And yet still another lie. They just roll off the tongue now.

It hurts at how relieved Amanda looks after I admit that. "Why didn't you tell me that?! I was worried you! I thought you were getting sick!"

"I just hadn't gotten adjusted yet. It was thrust on me so suddenly it overwhelmed me. I'll be fine after a couple more days of rest." A couple more days, maybe weeks, of locking myself in the house. "You don't need to worry." And you don't need to know the truth. You'll be better off in the dark.

"Good." She nods, and happy with my answer, takes a couple more cookies with her. She stops right before she leaves the kitchen to grab my hands, which had been putting the tray into the oven. "But I think you should stop with the baking. We're gonna run out of room." She takes another look around the kitchen. "I don't even think we have room now."

"Maybe you can take some to school and give some to your friends? I'm sure they'd appreciate it."

Amanda laughs. "Yeah. Maybe I'll even give some to Mr. Vega so he'll forgive me for the dumpster fire."

I don't laugh. For a moment, my mind flashes back to that time in his classroom, where he made a joke about something similar. How he told me that peanut butter cookies might persuade him to change his mind. Then my mind flashes forward to the joke I made about detention, and how he bent me over his desk. The tray in my hand felt heavier than ever. I don't even realize that it falls from limp fingers until Amanda yelps.

"Dad!"

I'm jolted back to reality and look at all the dough covering the floor. "Sorry Manda. I've been doing that all day." Lies lies lies lies.  "I'll clean it up."

"I'll help you Pops. Don't worry."

Amanda helps me pick up the fallen dough and dispose of it. Well, Amanda does most of the cleaning while I wash the tray. She thinks that since I've been so 'weak' that she has to help me. Amanda's behavior makes me fell guilty; she's going out of her way to take care of me when nothing is medically wrong with me. 

"Here." She places a note on the counter. "This is from Mr. Vega. Like I said earlier, I have no idea what it's for, but I don't think I'm in trouble or anything. Read it, and then go rest. If you need to recuperate, then go do it. No more baking. I'll take away all your spatulas and cake tins if you do," she threatens. "And no baking videos either. Because then you start getting ideas and want to bake even more. Seriously, we're going to start getting fat soon. And I do not want to gain the Freshman Fifteen before I'm a college freshman."

I tuck the note into the pocket of my sweatpants and try to find room for all the desserts. It feels like it's burning into my thigh, but I don't touch it.

* * *

_I don't believe him._

_It's hard to believe him when he looks like that. Empty. Gone. Away._

_He was baking on auto-pilot. His hands were moving, but his eyes were blank. He wasn't staring at any of the dough or ingredients; he was just doing it. I don't doubt that he's lying to me about something. And I think he used again. He used suppressants again and hid them from me. I'm starting to suspect that he's addicted to them. And it's dangerous. If he takes too many and all that heat builds again without getting released, it's going to kill him. A couple of professionals warned him about that; they said that his fever was too high and if we were any later getting him to the hospital, I'd have lost my other dad. And I don't want to lose him. Dad doesn't talk about any of our other family, and a lot of Papa's family don't contact us much either. We really don't have anyone else. If I lose him, I won't have anyone._

_I don't even want to think about that. I just know that I want the truth. Did he use suppressants again? Or is it something much worse?_

* * *

Hugo's note sits in my wastebasket while I finally decide to scroll through all the messages on my phone. There's so many here that it takes a minute for all of them to load in. Every time I scroll, I have to wait three minutes for the rest of the messages to come through. A few of them are invitations to hang out again, which may or may not be of innocent intent. Some ask if I feel okay, and want to know why I haven't been messaging them back or coming out. A couple are invitations to events going on in the community (that I probably wouldn't have gone to anyways) to get some fresh air. And some bordered on full-blown panic, making sure that I haven't done anything drastic. 

I should write some replies so that this stops. I don't want my phone constantly blowing up like that, and I don't want to root through a bunch of messages again. Still, I'm a little annoyed with them: If I didn't reply at first, why would they keep going? If they haven't been read, why keep sending more? It's like these guys aren't thinking with their heads...

I write out some general excuses for why I haven't been feeling right: I've been under the weather, I've been busy with business stuff, I'm helping Amanda with her college letters, I've been binge watching a couple shows...it's really easy to change a few words around and make it seem genuine, to the point where all the replies to these messages are really sympathetic and they hope that I feel better. I've become a really good liar lately. Not just to my daughter, but to the cul-de-sac as well. Maybe instead of opening a bakery, I should look into something that utilizes lying instead of baking.

Now that that's done, there's something that's been bugging me. And hurting me.

If they were all so worried about me in the first place, sending me all of these concerned messages and trying to contact me so badly, then why have none of them come to check on me yet? 

* * *

"Dad, aren't you going to eat?"

I look up from washing the pan I'd just made eggs with and look at Amanda, who's halfway through her breakfast. My own plate rests at the opposite end of the table, though there's not much food on it and it looks like a plate for a child. A very small child. Who probably doesn't eat much. "That's all I want."

"That doesn't look like much." She frowns at my plate and begins scraping some of her eggs onto it, placing a piece of bacon along with it. 

"Amanda, don't." I grab her fork before she can scrape more of her food off of her plate. "I'm not that hungry." I don't even want what little I made.

"Yeah. You haven't been hungry in days. It's worrying me." She takes her fork back from me and motions for me to sit at the table. "We need to have a serious talk about this. I don't know what's going on, but you don't eat, you don't go out, you're wearing the same shirt from a couple days ago, and you haven't spoken to any of your new friends, have you?"

"We haven't had time to meet up." That's a lie. I haven't put forth any initiative to meet with them. I don't really want to. I don't want them to think that I'm easy after what happened. I just want to be alone. "I haven't been hungry lately, I don't need anything, and this shirt is fine. It's just got a little icing on it.

"I really don't believe that." She bites her lip. "Are you...are you using those pills again?"

"No!" I answer immediately. Which was probably a mistake. Amanda looks more suspicious than before, giving me a long look and leaning. "No," I say, slower this time. "You can go count them if you want to. I thought about it and  _almost_ did, but I flushed a couple of them before I could make that mistake again." That was also a lie. Joseph crushed my pills in his kitchen before I could even think about taking them. But Amanda didn't need that truth. She looks a little better now that I've admitted one partially truth. "I haven't been using. I swear."

The symptoms were the same, so it's no wonder Amanda is starting to get suspicious of me using again. When I began to take too many suppressants, I didn't eat, I didn't drink, I only went outside for groceries. When I finally hit that point that put me in danger, Amanda didn't even realize it until I had a seizure; I'd been so sluggish that she hadn't even realized that I was in danger until the seizure happened and she noticed I wasn't responding to her.

She sighs. I hate seeing her look so sad, but if she knows the truth, I might never see her again. I don't want to think about living without my daughter. "Then what's been going on? You act like you don't want to go outside anymore. I may joke about living indoors a lot, but I don't mean it seriously. But you've been cooped up in here for too long. Can you at least try to go out? And no, the backyard doesn't count as out."

I'm at a crossroad. Do I go out and risk being called out with my daughter? Or do I stay inside and lose her trust?

I hate this. My stomach is churning in the worst way. I feel bile rising in my throat and try to swallow it back, but it feels like more is rushing up.  A wave of nausea from out of nowhere suddenly overpowers me, so strong that I can physically feel my stomach turning over. I start choking, clutching my stomach as it clenches in pain. I run over to the sink and throw up the meager contents, more acidic liquid and spittle rather than actual food.

"Dad!" I hear Amanda's chair scrape across the floor and her footsteps as she runs over to me, rubbing my back soothingly. It coaxes more vomit out of me, and I nearly fall over with every heave. I taste something acidic in the back of my throat and even though I don't have much more in my stomach, I still feel myself vomiting up more, until my throat is raw and burning. 

A few minutes later, Amanda is handing me a glass of warm water and a couple of crackers, adamant on staying home and taking care of me. "You're too sick to be left alone. I'm calling a doctor."

"Amanda, wait. I'm fine! Really! I'm just nauseous!

"You're chalking that up to nausea?!" Amanda angrily gestures to the mess in the sink. "Something is seriously wrong with you, and I'm calling a doctor to find out what. You said that your body is weak, but I don't think that's the case. What's really going on?"

This is my chance to tell her the truth. To tell her what  _really_ happened. To lay it all out there. I can come clean. We can talk about it.

"I think I'm getting sick."

You're a fucking coward Danny.

* * *

_What's wrong with him? Why is he acting like this? Why is he lying to me? What is it that he can't tell me?_

_It's the pills. It's gotta be. It's gotta be the suppressants again. I can't think of anything else that explains this. Everything is happening the same way. He threw up right before he had the seizure, he didn't eat much, he acted weird...it's the same. And now he's sitting there saying that he's getting sick? With what? What is he sick with? What kind of sickness causes something like this? And why is he lying to me about it all the time? What doesn't he want me to know?_

_Wait a minute..._

_Sick..._

_Weak..._

_No energy..._

_Spaces out..._

_Doesn't want to eat..._

_He doesn't want me to know what it is..._

_...no way._

_No._

_No, I don't want to believe it._

_Is my dad...is he dying?_

_I **really** want to be wrong but...it's all there. The signs were there the whole time, I was just trying to ignore them._

_I think my Dad might be dying._

* * *

"Dad, I'm really worried about you." Amanda sits on my bed and folds her arms. "You're...you're just sitting here wasting away! Has your body really gotten that weak? Do I have to call you an ambulance? Do you need medicine? Please...just tell me what's wrong! I'm scared..."

I stare up at the ceiling, unmoving. I don't want to get up, I don't want to eat, and I don't even want to roll over. I can't even summon up the courage to face my own daughter. But staring up at the ceiling counting cracks is easier than having to keep lying to her. This way, I'm not hurting anyone or lying to anyone.

I'm a slut. A waste of space. A coward. A liar. 

"Can you at least eat something? You haven't eaten in days!"

I'm not hungry. I don't need any food right now. Amanda kept putting a plate of my favorite food on the kitchen table, but after I refuse to leave my room, she's been leaving it by my bedside, making sure everything she makes is something I really like. She switches the plate out for each meal and sometimes brings me a baked good to try and coerce me into eating, but I don't touch any of it. She also brings me water, sometimes orange juice, but those stay beside the food and just sit there.

"Why won't you talk to me? I can help you."

If only you could Amanda. If only you could. But you can't. If I tell you, I might lose you. And I don't want to lose you. Not you too. I don't want to lose anyone else. Because then I'll have no one else. I don't want you to go. Just please...stay here.

"Dad..." Amanda climbs onto my bed and lays beside me, pressing her forehead against my shoulder. "Just tell me the truth. Please...I can't stand see you this way. This isn't who you are...Dad I  _need_ to know how to help you." One of her arms throws itself over my stomach, holding me tightly. She takes my hand in hers and squeezes. The gesture is comforting...really comforting. And I want to return it and let her know that I'm alright. But some stubborn part of me just doesn't want her to know. A part of me that thinks I can just let this go, but I can't. I just can't.

"I'm...sorry Amanda."

I'm so sorry.

* * *

_He's dying._

_My dad's dying and I don't know what from._

_He doesn't want to tell me anything about it. He doesn't want to do anything about it._

_But he's dying. I can't get that out of my head. It's the only explanation I have based on the facts. It's the only thing that explains his behavior. All the times he just wanted to spend time with me and stay home because he knew our time together was limited. But I kicked him out of the house and just wanted to be with my friends. I was selfish._

_I hope he can forgive me._

_"...Dad?"_

_He doesn't respond._

_"Dad..." I sit up and look down at him. His eyes are shut._

_He's not breathing._

_**"Dad!"**  _

* * *

I can hear something.

It's faint, and rhythmic. It's muffled, so I can't exactly make it out, but I know that there's a sound. And it's nearby.

What is it?

I can't see it. I can't see anything actually. It's dark...wherever I am. All I can hear is that stupid beeping. What is that?

"Dad?"

That sounds like my daughter. But I can't hear her very well; she's so far away. She should be closer. She was so close to me earlier. Where did she go?

"Can you feel my hand?"

I feel something warm. And small. There's pressure on my hand, closing around it. Yes, I can feel your hand Amanda. I try to squeeze back in return, to let her know that I'm here. That I can hear her and feel her. I just can't see her. Or anything.

"T-Try to open your eyes Dad."

I try to open my eyes, but as soon as the tiniest sliver of light breaks through the darkness, I squeeze them shut again. It takes a few tries before I can finally open my eyes fully. There's bright light above me, stinging my eyes and forcing me to shut them again. I take a few moments to get adjusted before I slowly peek open my eyes, squinting at the shape I see in my vision. "Amanda?" Is it really her? I'm not dreaming am I? She's really here?

She becomes clearer with every blink of my eyes. She still has on her pajamas and her hair is an absolute mess. There are tear tracks on her cheeks and her eyes are puffy and red. Oh no. Had she been crying? What happened? Who made my daughter cry?

"You're awake." She look like she wants to say more, but doesn't. Instead, she comes closer to me, moving slowly, as if she doesn't want to startle me. I watch her hands move somewhere behind me. I feel her messing around with the pillow behind me, carefully fixing it so that I'm more comfortable. She presses a button on a control beside me, raising the top half of the bed so that I'm in an upward position and can look around the room better. There's not much in here, but I do notice that I'm in a hospital room, the odd beeping sound actually a heart monitor attached to me. But...why am I in the hospital? What happened?

"You gave us quite the scare."

I turn to the voice and see a middle-aged man in a white coat standing in the doorway, holding a clipboard and a pen. There's a nurse behind him that's holding a tray of...I think it's food. But it's from the hospital, so does it really count as food? I might not have eaten much, but I definitely don't want to eat that. No matter how healthy it might be.

The doctor looks at me like a parent would a naughty child and shakes his head. I don't know if all doctors look at their patients like that, but I feel really small and want to hide now. I feel like I did something really bad. Which, I think I did if it landed me in the hospital of all places.

"Your daughter called us after you stopped responding to her. She says that you had become distant and locked yourself in the house, and ten stopped eating and drinking." I can't even get a word out to explain myself before he's talking again. "You're suffering from severe dehydration and your blood sugar is shockingly low," he reads. "That, coupled with high blood pressure and stress is a very bad combination for you."

Dehydration? Low blood sugar? And high blood pressure? When did I develop that? I think my Dad had it at one point but...when did I get it? Was it a genetic thing?

"Your daughter told me that you haven't been eating normally. Is that correct?"

"I just haven't been feeling hungry." The answer comes out of my mouth a little too quickly, to the point where Amanda and the doctor are both looking at me in disbelief. I know Amanda is upset with me; her nose scrunches up and she shakes her head a little. The doctor hasn't reacted much, but I can tell he's probably heard this before from other lying patients. But can't you make yourself sick by eating when you're not hungry?

"The body cannot go more than three days without water, and with the little one, you need to get as many nutrients as you can. You need to eat properly and on a regular schedule."

I had been drinking water though. Sure, it took me two days to finish half a bottle, but I had been drinking it. And what did he mean little one? Amanda is hardly little anymore. She eats just fine, even when I don't.

"Amanda is no little one," I say. "She's 18." She's basically an adult, so she doesn't need to rely on me much like she did when she was younger. She can take care of herself just fine.

He chuckles, which surprises me. Amanda isn't little. Why is that so funny to him? "I don't mean your daughter. I mean the little one you're carrying."

The whole world shatters at those words. My blood turns to ice, and I swear my heart stopped beating. There's blood rushing in my ears and my whole body is locked up. I can't move. I can't breathe. I'm only aware of that one sentence rolling around in my mind.  _'The little one you're carrying.'_

I'm pregnant.

"You're about two and a half weeks along," he continues, not noticing my shocked state, nor Amanda's frozen body. "It's a little too early for anything to be detected on an ultrasound, but the blood work confirms it. I recommend-"

"No," I whisper, finally finding my voice. "No."

"What?" Amanda asks. "Pops, what-"

"No. No, I can't be pregnant." Something stirs in my stomach, which I quickly realize is panic. Now the vomiting, the nausea, and the reason my stomach kept churning made sense; it was morning sickness. But that didn't mean that I liked it. Pregnant? I'm pregnant? "I can't  _be_ pregnant." 

"Many people are in disbelief after hearing news like this, but due to a heat wave having passed, we've had a lot of pregnancies lately. Almost every other patient has had no other ailment other than their pregnancy making them sick. It's perfectly understandable that you're in shock-"

"No! I can't be pregnant! I don't want to be!" Why wasn't he listening to me? 

"Dad," Amanda mumbles. "W-What's going on? Why are you pregnant?"

A small part of my mind is glad she didn't ask how I'm pregnant, and instead asked why. But a bigger, ore panicked part is freaking out because  _I'm pregnant._

"We ran a number of tests to see-"

" _I don't want to be pregnant!_ " Is the room starting to spin, or is that just me? "Get it out. Now."

"But Pops-"

"Mr. Sharp-"

"Get it out of me! I don't want it!" I can't do this. I don't want this. "Get this thing out of me!"

"Mr. Sharp, your blood pressure! Try to calm down."

"Dad, please!"

None of what their saying is fully reaching me. I hear them, but I don't hear them. All that's rattling around in my brain is the fact that  _I'm pregnant._  

And I slept with seven different men.

Damn it all! Any one of them could be the father! No one used protection and I didn't have any kind of pill for the morning after! Of course there was a huge chance I could end up pregnant. And now I had to break the news to them, but I also had to tell Amanda why her Dear Old Dad was pregnant and who might be father.

If I decide to keep it.

There's a stunned silence in the room as everyone takes in what just transpired. While the room is silent though, my head is a jumbled mess of noise. I can't even focus on a single thought; I'm just so wound up. How am I supposed to deal with this? I have so many people to talk to now and I don't know if I can face any of them. How do I even go about telling them? 

"...I'll give you a couple of days to finalize a decision," the doctor says. "I'll give you the prescription for the vitamins in case you decide to keep the baby. I suggest you start taking them though; the sooner they're helping your body, the better it will be in the long run. I also want you to eat better and make sure to..." I don't even care for the rest of his words. I don't care about anything other than the one sentence that changed everything.

I'm pregnant.

* * *

There's a tense silence in the car as Amanda drives me home three days later. I don't know if she's pissed or just worried, but she doesn't look at me or speak to me. She sat in the car while I did my discharge paperwork and all three days, she stayed glued to her phone with her headphones in, ignoring me like she is now. I'm torn between asking her to talk to me and keeping silent so I don't make her angrier. I guess everything that happened at the hospital shook us both up, but her even more than me. After all, she went through seeing her father in a bad state twice now.

I refused to eat at the hospital initially, but the threat of being force fed was humiliating, so I subjected myself to eating gross hospital food until I'm finally released. But everyone seemed to think they had to keep an eye on me. Even when I went to the bathroom! I had no privacy and wasn't allowed to have anything sharp near me, nor could I do much other than watch TV. While I might've enjoyed that at one point, it was tiring. Being allowed to go home was a relief, but now I want to go back. I don't think Amanda forgives me, not for making her have to stay at a hospital with me. Again.

We get to the house after a very uncomfortable silence. Amanda doesn't wait for me, bolting out of the car and into the house, leaving the keys in the ignition for me to turn off the car and lock the doors. The front door slams behind her, and then all s still again. Fuck...I really messed up with her didn't I?

"Damn it!" I punch the dashboard angrily, knowing that I just completely ruined my relationship with my daughter. She hates me now, doesn't she? We got into an argument about me not trusting her to make good choices, and now it seems like I'm the one that can't be trusted. I guess I can add hypocrite to my list of faults now, huh?

I sigh again, taking out the keys and locking all the car doors. There's some mail in the box, which I shouldn't let sit for too long else someone might steal it. I know I have a few bills in there, plus Amanda and I are still looking for college letters. I want to make sure she knows the second she's accepted into the school she wanted.

She probably won't tell me either way. 

Tears well in my eyes and before I realize it, I'm crying in the middle of the driveway. It pains me so deeply that in trying to protect my daughter from learning the truth about what I did, I only hurt her, myself, and our relationship. I should've just been honest. I had so many chances to tell her, yet I wasted them thinking that it was for the best.

How would she ever trust me again?

* * *

Amanda's door is shut and locked, loud music blaring from the other side. She's mad at me. I know she is. The only time she ever blares her music like this is when she's mad. Like, really mad. I don't think I've ever seen her this mad, to the point where she doesn't even want to talk to me. She usually cools off after an hour if I upset her, but this wasn't something that I could hope she would cool off about. This was a scar that would take time to heal.  

"Amanda?" I hesitantly knock on her door. "Are you alright?"

The music only gets louder. I can make out the faintest bit of shuffling, but I can't hear anything else over her music. She could be sneaking out of her room for all I know.

"I-I'll be in my room if you need me."

There's no answer.

The walk to my room seems like miles, when it's only down the hall. The past few days have been really stressful on me, and I need to calm down or else something might happen to me or my baby.

My baby...

I can't believe I'm pregnant again. Of course there was a chance without any of the Alphas using protection, but I'm still in disbelief. I might be having someone's baby. Might being the key word. Do I want to keep this baby? Do I really want to be pregnant again? Amanda's was easy for me, but she was very calm, like Alex was. Her delivery was smooth and easy, but who can say that this one would be? I don't know how I'll carry when I don't know how their pups are. Active, large, small, quiet, rowdy or multiple?

...

I admit, I was hysterical in the hospital when the doctor first told me, but I didn't really want to abort it then and there. I was in shock and upset with myself that I just blurted that out. No, I wasn't really going to go through with that. I'm not going to abort him or her. But what am I going to do nine months from now? Am I going to keep this baby? Or am I going to give the baby away?

...Actually, the question right now is what am I going to eat? Hunger is finally kicking in and I think the baby wants me to wait until we're both full before I make a bigger decision.

* * *

Amanda is at the fridge when I arrive at the kitchen, but she quickly puts everything away and storms off with a covered container before I can utter a word. I try to say something, but she runs away and slams her door. Then the music starts up again and she's back to ignoring me. I'm a little happy that she hasn't snuck out or anything, but I wish we could clear the air.

I think about going after her, but I'm not ready for the inevitable argument that's going to follow if I do try to confront her. Instead, the baby thinks I should eat some oatmeal cookies to feel better. And I whole-heartedly agree. The cookies are enough sate my hunger for the moment, but nothing I can do will soothe my heart. Amanda doesn't want to talk to me, and probably never will again.

I ruined everything.

* * *

_I'm going to have a little brother or sister._

_That's the only thing that was wrong with him._

_Why wouldn't he have wanted me to know he was pregnant?_

_Was it because he'd been dating someone and didn't tell me? That's not something I'd be mad about. So he found a partner or something. I'd be happy for him and would want to meet them. But he lied to me about it. And for what? Why did he care if I knew he was pregnant? I thought he was dying for fuck's sake! But he's just pregnant. It just doesn't make sense._ _I just...I just can't believe that he lied to me._

_I don't want to see him right now._

* * *

"Amanda...can we talk?" I knock on her door gently. "I know...I know that things have been a little odd lately, but I think we need to clear the air." 

She doesn't respond, but the already soft music lowers a bit. I think she's calmed down a little, so this might be my chance.

It's been a dodgy couple of days between us. Every morning I would wake up to see that she had already left the house. Whether she actually went to school or if she was playing hooky was beyond me. But she'd been gone, and some items from the kitchen would be missing, leading me to believe that she was eating and taking lunch, but was doing everything in her power to stay away from me.

I would hear her come home from school, but she'd make it to her room in record time, before I could even roll out of bed. I tried sitting on the couch to wait for her, but I guess she left her window unlocked and would just climb in and out when she needed to. Music would just keep blaring from her room, but two days ago, it lowered and I heard Amanda moving around her room. She hadn't snuck out that day, and I'm assuming she hasn't been sneaking out at all. But I can never be sure with her music blasting all the time.

But I can finally tell her the truth.

"Amanda, I know you probably hate me for lying to you. I worried you and made you cry and put you back in the hospital with me. I've been terrible to you, and nothing can excuse that. And now we're suddenly hit with a pregnancy bomb and this is something else we have to deal with. These past couple of days have been trying for all of us and..." I start getting choked up. "And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for...everything."

There's no answer. I feel myself start shaking. Did I screw up that badly?

“Amanda I’m sorry,” I sob. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry that I put all of this into your life. I’m sorry that I couldn’t control myself. I’m sorry that I lied to you. I’m so sorry about all of it. I...please don’t leave sweetie. I need you. I don’t have anyone, and I don't want to lose you. Just...please stay.”

The music cuts off. And then silence. For long minutes at a time, all I hear is silence. And I can't her hear moving around. I knew it; Amanda would never forgive me. I've lost her.

Another sob bursts from my body and I curl up on the floor, hands around my stomach. I feel something stirring in me and it takes everything I have to choke it back down. Amanda is truly disgusted with me and doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. She's going to move out and have her stuff shipped to her college. I won't see her achieve her dreams. I won't see her graduate college. I won't ever see her again, all because I keep putting myself in these fucked up situations.

Then the door opens.

* * *

_I don't care about any of that._

_I just don't want him lying to me anymore. He thinks I hate him, but I don't. I don't hate him. I can't hate him. He's suffering. He needs me right now. It'll probably take me a long time to forgive him, but I won't hate him._

_He's still my dad._

* * *

 

”Dad...did you actually think I cared about any of that?" I feel her lie on the ground behind me and wrap her arms around me. One of her hands rests a little above where I'm holding my stomach, like she's afraid of hurting me. “I-I’m really shaken up about the pregnant thing, but we can deal with that later. Dad, I’m mad that you lied to me! Every time I asked you a question, you gave me some excuse for what you were out doing instead of telling me the truth! And when I was worried about you, you brushed me off like you  _didn't want_ to talk to me or want help! You acted exactly like you did all those years ago, but then you told me it wasn't the pills! _I was terrified you were dying!_ " Her arms tighten. "I don't want to lose you either, but the lying...the lying was what really pissed me off! You just kept lying and I started thinking the worst because I didn't know what was going on!"

"I-I-I thought I was protecting you," I whimper. "I didn't want you to know what I did, and I didn't want you to worry about me. I thought if you didn't know, you wouldn't be disgusted with me."

"Disgusted with you? Why would you think that?"

And with that, I let it all come out.

My body shakes as I retell the events from the week. I tell Amanda how much I regretted going to the barbecue because I knew I would stand out. I tell her about how I did want to hang out with the other Dads, but I never wanted things to escalate. I tell her about how the run with Craig turned in us having sex in the woods. I tell her how I was going to ask Mat for advice about opening an independent shop, but that turned into us on the counter top. I tell her about how her study date with Daisy turned into Brian and I having sex on his pool table. I tell her about how turning in her work turned in Hugo and I rutting against his desk. I tell her about taking a tour of Damien's house ended with me being blindfolded with him on top of me. I tell her how I'd been chased by another pack until Robert saved me, and then took his reward for being my savior. I tell her about Joseph's constant personality switches, until he finally cornered me in his kitchen and took what he wanted. And finally, I tell her about how disgusted I felt after it was all said and done, and the real reason that I didn't want to go out was because everyone I encountered knew what I did and mocked me for it.

Amanda is silent the whole time, just holding me. I'm scared now. She knows everything that happened, and I don't how how she'll take this. I know she said she doesn't judge, but this could be the thing that breaks her; that breaks us.

"Dad...I...I'm not saying that I...approve of what you did, but I can't lay here and pretend that I didn't know. You would smell off every time you came in, but I never knew you actually mated with those Alphas. I thought all that time you spent with them was just...you guys hanging out. I didn't suspect anything else. But...you were wrong for lying to me about it. I would've tagged along as a third wheel had you told me you were scared of being by yourself." I feel her slide her hand down and rest it on top of mine. "But it's in the past now. I'm still pissed at you for lying to me, but that's not what I want to focus on right now. We have my little sibling to think about." I can hear the lightness in her voice, but her body freezes. "You...are you going to keep it?"

I had a lot of time to think about this the last few days and I know what I want. "I'm keeping this baby. No adoption and no abortion; I'm keeping it, even if I have to raise it alone." It pains me to think of the Alphas rejecting this baby but I think I can manage to raise this baby, even if I have to do it alone. 

Amanda makes a noise. "You won't be alone. You've got me! I'm gonna be a great big sister!"

I smile. "Yeah. I know you will be."

Amanda and I lie on the floor for another few minutes before she and I decide that the position in uncomfortable and decide to just lean against the wall and relax. My face feels all dried from all the crying and my eyes sting a bit, but my heart feels a little lighter knowing that I didn't lose Amanda over this. In this moment, everything is okay.

"So, when are you gonna tell the Alphas?"

Then the moment is over.

"You  _are_ going to tell them, right?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Danny is not in the best of places right now. Sure he made up with Amanda after all the lies he told and he plans on telling her the truth from now on, but there's still the issue of his pregnancy to deal with. Not to mention that he has seven different Alphas that he has to talk to now. Will he even have the courage to tell them? And if he does, what will they say to him? Will they pull back? Or will they support him?
> 
> This chapter was strange to write because it felt like filler. And...it kinda was filler. But I did want to continue with Danny loathing, and I also wanted to show a little bit of Amanda struggling to understand what's going on with her father. I don't particularly like this chapter, and I had a bit of an issue writing it, but it was needed. 
> 
> Also, I'm planning on writing a little series based on this AU on Tumblr. It's going to be called 'Planning' and it would be updated in my own time. It'll be short stories about Danny having to grow up as an omega, his parents (who will be mentioned frequently), his home life, his school life, and probably everything up until Alex dies. I thought about making it a separate story altogether, but then that would split my attention between the two stories, so I figured making it a separate series (and making them short stories instead would be easy) on Tumblr would be a little better for me. It's a completely optional story to read; everything that gets revealed there will be revealed here (eventually), so if you want more insight to Danny's life, you can check it out soon.


	4. Telling Them All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's no more avoiding it. I have to tell the Alphas. I don't want my baby growing up not knowing their father. It's not going to be easy; they all have their own children to worry about after all. But they at least need to know that it's possible they'll have another child, this time with me.  
> I only hope their the type of Alphas who protect all of their kits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter went over much better than I expected. Seriously, I was scared it’d be bad, but you guys really liked it. So Danny managed to tell everyone. Most of them are happy, but Damien’s feeling guilty and willing to try and make up for it, Robert has effectively pulled away, and Joseph ran from it. Will Joseph end up telling Mary, and what’s he so afraid of? Will Robert see reason? And whose the father of this baby?
> 
> I created a poll for this story for fun! It’s a little thing to determine who he father might be. Last I checked, five people voted, three of which believe it’s Joseph (actually based on comments many of you believe that). If you want to vote, you can do so here: http://poal.me/6czuzm

"Right Dad?"

I bite my lip. I should tell them, but I'm scared. I mean, what if they get angry or reject me or...this could go really badly. 

"I haven't heard a reply yet so I'm assuming you're thinking about not telling them. Which is a bad idea. You  _have_ to tell them." Amanda's tone alone is reprimanding.

"I know but-"

"No buts! What if you have this baby and he or she has blonde hair, or brown eyes, or they end up being a ginger? How would you explain that? And they'd be bound to notice you getting bigger in a couple of months. I mean, how would you explain the baby fat?"

"Regular fat. I'm a baker, that happens." I could justify it if I wanted to.

Amanda gives me a dead look. "Dad. Seriously?"

I hang my head. She's right. I know she's right. I'm just scared. I'm really scared of how they might react. Sure they were nice, but if I just drop a bomb like this on them, they could get angry, maybe even violent. What if they end up hating me for it? 

"They won't hate you," Amanda says, as if she can read my mind. "Just...tell them what you told me. That you lost control of yourself and now you're pregnant. You don't have to say it like that, but just be honest. You need to work on honesty as it is."

That part stings a little, but I do admit that she's right. I do need to work on honesty. I hadn't been honest with her, and I almost messed up our relationship. I don't need anymore stress or guilt in my life. But still...

"You're right Amanda. I have to tell them."

"I know I'm right," she says with a grin. "I just had to get you to realize it." Amanda pats my stomach gently. "You're not going to be alone if that's what you're worried about. I bet they'll all be excited about it."

I could only hope so. But I wasn't just scared to tell them about the baby. I was scared to tell each one about how I was with someone else. What would they think of me then?

* * *

It's been two days and I finally have some courage. I think I can finally start telling all the Alphas that I'm pregnant. Amanda really was right. I couldn't hide during the duration of my pregnancy; I would have to go out and people would notice me getting bigger. It wouldn't take long for anyone to piece together what happened. They deserved to know about their child. And it was my duty to tell them. It didn't matter if they wanted to be with me because of the baby or if they wanted to raise it separately, if thy wanted part of this baby's life at all; all that mattered was that they knew they might have a child in the future.

I'm still nervous about it, but I need to tell them now. And I guess...I guess I should start with Craig. He'll be the easiest to tell out of everyone, because he was my best friend and someone I used to tell everything to. I know it might be a little odd between us if I tell him this, but I know Craig, and just like he's doing with Ashley, he'll try to make this work. I just have to go about telling him.

_hey bro. I hope it isn't too late to take you up on the offer for breakfast._

Craig, like always, responds immediately.

_**bro, it feels like forever since we hung out! Definitely! What time do you want to meet?** _

_in 15?_

**_no prob. I'll see you then!_ **

Messaging him was easy, but now it was time to meet up with him. Talking to him face to face would prove to be a challenge, but it was a challenge I would have to face. If this goes well, I'll still have Craig in my life. But if it goes badly, I might lose my best friend.

* * *

I'm a little early to the diner, but it gives me enough time to get my thoughts together and figure out how I'm going to say this. I know that I have to tell Craig, and I think it'll be easy. He's my best friend, someone who I experienced a lot with. It would hurt to throw it all away, but if this baby was his, I think Craig and I could do a good job of raising him or her. Craig even had three kids he could handle enough on his own, and we were so close that we could be a real family if we wanted to. It all sounded nice when I thought about it...

But it would all come down to telling him first.

What would he even say? Would he want another baby in his life when River was already still a baby herself? And what would he think of me when he found out the whole truth? Would he think the baby was worth it? Or would he walk away? He didn't seem like that type, but you never know how people react until these types of situations pop up.

Craig arrives ten minutes later, River attached to his chest. She looks very grumpy, like she had just woken up from a nap, while Craig looks as energetic as can be. I wish I had his energy; would make life a lot easier...

"Danny!" He slides into the seat across from me and gives me a big smile. "You were radio silent dude! Is everything okay?

I nod. I remember that I told him I wasn't feeling well. "I'm much better now." I'm actually healing now, but I'll be better in a while. It'll just take some time. "I was...under a lot of stress and it finally got to me." Also a partial truth, but better than a blatant lie. "So I took some time to decompress and all." 

"That's good. At least you're back to your old self."

Not exactly...

Craig and I decide to order something, though I, or should I say the baby, wants fruit. I ended up ordering a fruit bowl while Craig gets some really nice sounding sandwich, one that perfectly fits with his diet. I listen to him talk about Hazel and Briar's recent softball game, where the two had really pushed themselves during the final inning of the game to get those last few points. They were exhausted afterwards and fell asleep as soon as they were in the car, so Craig took them home instead of making them go to the team's celebration it was better that way.

All this talk made me think of the baby. If this baby was Craig's, would he or she be sporty and athletic like him? Or comfortable indoors away from people? What if they were an odd mixture of both? A sporty introvert? Was that even a thing?

"Danny?" 

I'm suddenly snapped back to reality when Craig waves his hand in front of my face. 

"Are you okay man? You spaced out on me." 

That's something else I have to work on. I can't keep spacing out like that if I want to make it through this. "Craig..." I set my fork down and sigh. This is it. Moment of truth. "I...I'm..." I take a deep breath. "I hope you still keep your promise from college."

It takes a moment for Craig to think back over which promise I was talking about; we made so many promises back then that I could mean anything. But after a minute, his eyes go wide and he looks at me for any sign that I'm messing with him. "Dude...are you serious?"

I nod. "Three weeks along." 

River babbles confusedly as we go silent. She probably senses something is off, but as a baby, she's limited to what she can do or say about it. I focus on the small pieces of pineapple left in my bowl while I wait for his response. I know our promise probably shouldn't apply this many years after we made it, but it was the only way I could tell him without losing my nerve. His silence doesn't mean rejection, but I get a little nervous either way. There was always a chance he could say no...

Craig takes a deep breath and nods slowly. "Okay...okay." And then he looks out the window, staring at...well, nothing.

I'm not sure what this means. Is he thinking about the promise he made? Does it not mean anything since we're much older?

Back when we were in college, Craig and I made a promise. We knew there were chances of pregnancy during heat and ruts, so we made a pact. We slept together even when we weren't in heat, and when we were rutting, it would be intense. Craig didn't particularly care for condoms, but he still wore them to be safe and my parents made sure I had top quality morning after pills, so in our minds, we'd be perfectly safe. But during ruts, we didn't always think about protection, and there were times when things were...odd. At one point, we actually had a pregnancy and we both freaked out; how were two college kids who could barely take care of themselves? It was just a scare, but we were terrified that we would end up with a baby together. But if we did have a baby...we were having it together. So Craig and I came up with a promise: if something indeed happened during our ruts and I ended up pregnant with Craig's baby, then we don't give up on one another. It didn't matter the situation; we would be together throughout the pregnancy and throughout raising our child. If it happened that we weren't compatible and liked other people, our child was no going to suffer because of it. We'd still do our best so that our child would have both of his or her parents in their life.

"We knew this could happen," Craig says, and I'm not sure if he means when we had sex, or when we slept together in college. "We knew we could be parents if we weren't careful. I guess we finally see the consequence." That still doesn't help. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Does he want the baby or does he not want it?

I nervously nibble on a piece of pineapple while Craig thinks. But all my nervousness washes away when Craig turns to me and smiles. "I've got you Bro."

And that makes it a little better. Craig wants this baby. He wants to help me raise it! But...he might change his mind when he finds out the other thing. Because I have to tell him that as well. Amanda was right about that too; I had to be completely honest.

"That...isn't it though," I mention. "There's something else that might make this whole thing complicated." My stomach starts churning again and I really hope morning sickness doesn't surface again.

Craig looks at me seriously, his smile gone. Even River looks serious. "Nothing's...wrong Danny...is there? Are you and the baby okay?"

I can see why he might be concerned, but I'm alright. "We're fine. There's nothing medically wrong," I admit. "But...Craig...I have to be totally honest with you." I put the pineapple down again and steel myself for this next confession. "That week we slept together...well...you weren't the only person I was with."

The concern is replaced with hurt, and I know why. It's in our nature to want to breed, and despite what people think, Alphas are the most eager to see their pups out of any of us. It's not a competition, but most Alphas do want to have a lot of pups. Hearing that they could have one was exciting, but knowing that a pup might not even be theirs...it definitely hurts. "So, there's a chance-"

"That this baby might not be yours," I finish, the words feeling like mush as soon as I get them out of my mouth. "And yes. That's true. I won't be able to get a paternity test done until my ninth or tenth week." Amanda and I  went back to the doctor and filled the prescription for the vitamins, asked plenty of questions, and made all the necessary appointments for the future. I asked about what could be told about the baby's health this early on and what I could do to keep the baby healthy. We had to have all the information we could get before we went out and told anyone that I was pregnant. They'd be curious of course, so I wanted to be able to answer most of their questions.

To my surprise, Craig shakes his head. "Danny, I do want this pup to be mine, but even if he or she isn't mine, I'm still gonna be here for you. You're my friend, and you're gonna need all the help you can get. I'll be here for you Danny. I'll always be here."

His admission almost makes me burst into tears. I don't deserve to have someone like Craig, but I'm certainly glad that he was in my life.

* * *

"Danny! Where have you been?"

Craig growls softly, moving closer to me. Even though we weren't a mated pair, there was still a chance that I was carrying his baby. But we  _weren't_ together; technically, that made me available to other Alphas and Betas. And since I told Craig that I slept with others, he probably pieced together that Joseph was one of them. As an Alpha, me being in Joseph's presence was a danger to Craig, especially with me carrying. Because there was a chance Craig was going to be a father, he was going to be very protective of the person carrying his pup. Even against another Alpha. 

"I was sick," I say simply. "Totally under the weather. Couldn't even roll out of the bed."

I was really hoping that maybe I could avoid Joseph for the time being, but he somehow found me. Of course, with him being my neighbor, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to think he would finally come see me. I'm not too upset with Joseph for not checking on me; I figured he was keeping his distance so that no one, not even his  _wife_ would think that he did something bad. But I guess he didn't want to seem like a bad neighbor in a town that thought he was already perfect, so I'm not surprised that he decides to check on me and make sure I was okay. He even had a plate of brownies with him, like it was a peace offering.

"Christie was beside herself when I told her you might be ill," Joseph explains as he takes a couple of steps closer, exuding kindness. I don't believe it for a second. "She made these to help you feel better. Though they might not be as good as yours."

There's nothing deceptive in his gaze, and had I not seen how quick he could change faces, I would've believed that he was actually being a good neighbor. But I don't trust him for a second, not after what he did. There was a high chance that he could be the father, especially after what he did to me...

I resist the urge to grab Craig and run into the house, but I do have to tell Joseph the truth. I don't want to be caught in his house again, and I don't want to risk him trying to jump me. He acted strange  _before_ the heat wave even started, so whose to say he won't do the same after?

"Craig, can you put these in the house for me?" I take the tray from Joseph and had it to Craig, who looks between it and Joseph carefully.

"Are you sure you shouldn't go into the house? You are still weak after your sickness."

I can hear the protectiveness in his voice, and while it's nice to know that he wants me and the baby to be safe, I'd rather talk to Joseph alone. That, and I don't want a fight to break out between the two Alphas. Those always tend to get really violent, and I don’t want anyone to get injured. "I'll be fine for a few moments Craig. Please?"

One thing that Alphas don't do is argue with their mates, even potential ones. While Craig might want me to go into the house with him, he also doesn't want to upset me. So without much prompting, he takes the tray inside, casting glances back at us. Once he's in the house and I'm sure the coast is clear, I turn to Joseph, who looks confused.

"What was that about?"

"I'm pregnant Joseph."

I don't know why I just let it slip like that, but I get a sick sense of satisfaction at seeing him go completely still. It  serves him right. After evrything he did, he actually thought I would take it lying down? HE's got the wrong one if that's what he thought.

“You’re serious?” Joseph’s voice is small, like that of a child. His entire body is stiff and his hands and grasping at the air. I don’t know if he’s restraining himself from running away or grabbing me, but it unnerves me nonetheless.

“Yes. About three weeks along.” I can see him mentally doing the math and he goes a shade paler, realizing what all of this entails. And he looks like he can barely keep his wits about him, slowly shaking his head.

“H-How?” His voice sounds small, smaller than I had ever heard before. He's genuinely scared of this.

”Joseph, you have four kids. I will punch you in the throat if you’re seriously asking how I’m pregnant.”

”Danny, what am I supposed to tell Mary? Or my kids?” He grabs his head in his hands and messes up the style he had in his hair.

I thought about that briefly, but it’s not my place to tell his family that he wasn’t faithful. “I don’t know. But what did you really expect?” I lower my voice to a whisper. “You made me keep a fucking plug in. You have a high chance of being the father.”

Joseph doesn’t have a reply. There’s a look in his eyes that is torn between shock and horror. He doesn’t look like himself at all, with his hair messed up, skin pale, and eyes wide. For a moment, I feel bad for him.

But it only lasts a moment. 

“When you’re ready to talk about this, we can,” I tell him. “You know where to find me.”

I turn around and leave him standing there. I can’t dwell on him right now; I’ve still got others to tell.

Craig is beside himself when I get back into house, seeing my distraught expression. I can tell he wants to go after Joseph, thinking he did something to upset me, but I put my arms around him and just hold him. Right now, I’m exhausted and I just need a hug. I knew it wouldn’t be easy to tell him, but I hadn’t expected how much energy it would take out of me.

* * *

I spot the wilted flower crown Damien gave me and feel bad. While Damien doesn’t really have anything to do with it, but I do feel bad about just...leaving him. After all, he put a part of himself out there that not everyone knows. I might’ve hurt his feelings by ignoring him  . After all, hoping that someone wouldn’t judge you for something personal was hard to deal with; I know first hand how bad that is. 

I should apologize to him. I was being a bad friend ignoring him after what he told me.

”Ah, Danny! Such a pleasure to see you again.”

Damien doesn’t conceal the relief at seeing me, though I do see a bit of fear in his eyes. Probably since I went silent on everyone for so long; he probably thought I really was disgusted with him and I was coming to tell him off. Which couldn't have been further from the truth. Damien was a breath of fresh air around the cul-de-sac.

I hold up the container I brought. “I’m sorry for not getting in touch with you sooner. I wasn’t feeling like myself lately.” The container has a strawberry tart in it this time, not exactly as Victorian as the last, but a bit sweeter. “I brought you an apology tart.”

He opens the door wider and gestures for me to come in. “It’s quite alright. Come, come. Let’s go sit and chat.”

As I walk past Damien, I notice a strange look come over his eye. But it’s gone before I can analyze it. Instead, he leads me to the sitting room, where an ornate tea pot lays in the center of the table. Surprisingly, Lucien is seated in one of the chairs, adding milk to a cup. This must be a daily ritual for them, and I might’ve interrupted it.

”You remember Danny, don’t you Lucien?” Damien says, pulling my chair out for me. 

Lucien just continues with his tea. “Hey.”

That’s about what I expected from him. He and I hadn't been on the best of terms before. I can see why he's so impassive around me now.

Damien pours me a cup of tea while I slice the tart. Even though he doesn’t say anything, Lucien perks up when I start to cut it, and I cut him a generous slice. He again doesn’t say anything, but now there’s a pleased look in his eye. So Lucien has a bit of a sweet tooth? Interesting...

We sit in comfortable silence and eat, though I finish my piece of tart far quicker than either of them. Damien keeps glancing at me, but he doesn’t say anything. It didn’t seem like he was mad, but I couldn’t be sure.

After a while, Lucien stretches and rises from the chair, telling us that he’s going to his room for a while and that he really enjoyed the tart. I thank him, and he sweeps from the room, much like his father. Now that we’re alone, Damien puts all of his utensils down, moves his tea cup away, and looks at me intensely.

”Danny, are you aware that your scent is beginning to change?”

I hadn’t been in all honesty. “No,” I admit. “I had no clue until you said something.”

Damien hums. “I see.”

There’s another lapse of silence before Damien speaks again. “Scent changes are usually due to two things: being claimed and carrying children.”

I don’t speak. I’m so stunned he just threw it out there that I don’t know what to say. He’s right, and now I understand why he was looking at me earlier. He was trying to place what was different about me.

”Damien, I was going to tell you,” I start, but Damien holds up a hand.

”You probably thought that there was no chance for me to be the sire, didn’t you?”

I nod. No use lying to him. I have to work on honesty. “I was the one who-“

”Danny, what I am about to tell you might truly disgust you.”

Didn't we already go through this? “Damien, I already told you I couldn’t be disgusted with you.”

But then I take a long look at him and see what’s in his eyes. Regret. What was he hiding from me this time?

”Danny, I told you during that week that you affected me. It was...” he searches for the right word. “difficult, to be around you. Even during our coupling. And afterwards.” He doesn’t look at me as he speaks, biting his lip. “I...I apologize, but there was a moment when my morals slipped and I did something less than gentlemanly.” He’s quick to shut me down before I can respond. “I regained control before I went too far, but...I fear that I do have some involvement in the fact that you’re carrying.”

I don’t understand what he means, not at first. But then it hits me. Damien...Damien had wanted to claim me. He’d almost lost control and took me while I was sleep, but he stopped. So...he...he...even if it was just the tip, he still could’ve...

”You mean you...” 

Damien nods regretfully. “It’s shameful that I let myself slip that way. I was so afraid that I secluded myself in my abode. I did want to explain, but I was scared you’d never want anything to do with me.”

This is a lot more than I'm ready to handle right now. I came here to tell him about a pregnancy because I didn't want him to feel left out, and now I'm learning that he's actually got a chance to be the father? I thought Damien was the one in the most control...

"I need a minute," I manage to say. "Can I go to the library and just...think?"

"Of course," Damien says, voice shaking a bit. "Do you remember the way?"

I nod, standing on shaking feet and stumbling my way out of the room. I can feel Damien's eyes on me but I don't turn back. I try to keep myself steady, though I don't think I succeed, as I make my way to the library and collapse into the large chair by the window. I suddenly lack what little energy I had earlier and just feel distraught. I just...I just can't believe it. Damien had actually taken advantage of me when I was sleeping! And he seemed like the furthest away from losing control! He reigned himself in and actually  _asked_ me before he did anything, and then bottomed! How could he do that?

But...he did end up telling me. I know that doesn't excuse it, it doesn't excuse it at all. But Damien stopped himself. He had enough sense about him to stop himself. It's still wrong, in all regards. Yet, he feels regret for doing that to me.

I head back to where Damien is slumped over the table. Though, when the door creaks open, he's quick to wipe his eyes and straighten his clothes. He avoids looking at me as I cross the room and sit back in my chair, even as I look across at him.

”I’m...disappointed,” I manage to say after I sit down. Damien doesn't look at me, and his shoulders slump down eve further. “And even though I do acknowledge the fact that you stopped before you went too far, that doesn’t really make it right. But Damien...if this baby is yours, would you take responsibility?” I need to know if he'd take responsibility for this.

Damien look up, hopeful, and opens his mouth to respond, but stops. And I now realize what I just revealed.“If?”

Oh crap. Now he looks disappointed in me. “Y-Yeah. If. This is the part where you might be disgusted with me. I uh...I’ve actually been with some of the Alphas around that time. So...you might be the father. And you might not be.”

Damien’s expression drops, much like Craig’s did, and that pit in my stomach from before comes back full force. “I see.” He looks at my stomach for a long moment before nodding. “I can’t say I’m happy to hear that, but if you are willing to allow me to be a part of this child’s life if they are indeed mine, and if you let me make it up to you for taking advantage of you, then I’d gladly take it.”

And then, the put disappears. We’ll have some work ahead of us, and I'll have to come to terms with what Damien did, but I think he and I will be okay.

* * *

”Three down,” I tell Amanda when I get home. “Four to go.”

She looks impressed. “Really? That was fast. It’s only been a few days.”

”Well, you were right. I do have to tell them. And yes, they were all hurt so far, but I had to expect that. I didn't stop any of them, and I got myself into this whole situation." I put my hand over my stomach. There was no bump yet, but just knowing that I was carrying life made my protective. "I have to be honest because I want nothing more than for this baby to know their other father."

"I'm glad you're being honest with them. I mean, I didn't expect them to be totally okay with this, but none of them have gotten mad." She squints at me. "Have they?"

I shake my head. "Shock? Yes. Anger? No. It’s been mostly good save for finding out that I haven’t been...monogamous. They’ve been upset but I guess the idea of having another kid overpowers that.”

”So, out of curiosity...” Amanda begins, sitting up in her chair. “Who would you want to be the father?”

I hadn’t really thought of that. “I don’t know,” I shrug. “I mean...” I want to say Craig out of reflex. I’ve known him the longest, he’d be the most willing to stay by my side, and we could work something out regarding our relationship as well. But the others had some really nice qualities as well. Mat may have been shy and a bit on the awkward side, but I saw how he interacted with his daughter and how cute they were. Hugo was a major dork, but that wasn’t a bad thing. It was oddly adorable. Robert seemed like he had some issues, but maybe having a child could help him. And he was certainly protective of things he cared about. Joseph...I mean, he already had four and seemed like he could handle them well enough. Even if he was a cheater...Damien was polite and gentlemanly, and would probably extend those teachings to his child. Brian was outdoorsy and definitely the type to appreciate every single thing his child did. They were all prime candidates for a good father, but I couldn’t just pick one like that.

”It’s weird. If I’m being honest, I want any one of them to be the father. I don’t know any of them that well, but I do want to get closer to them. The baby just gives me an extra reason why. I guess it doesn’t really matter; I just want them there for their baby.”

Amanda has a thoughtful look on her face, lapsing into silence. She bites her nails for a bit before giving a nod and turning back to me. “That makes a lot of sense. I thought you were gonna pick based on traits.”

”There’s a lot more to anyone, not just their traits.”

Amanda lapses into silence once more, only nodding again. Feeling like the conversation is over, I head to my room to lay down. 

* * *

_danny_

_hey danny_

_danny, I know youre home._

_the lights are on_

_come outside_

_danny_

_i'm waiting outside_

_c'mon_

I stare at my phone, not taking Robert as the type to message me so many times, but he  _is_ the someone else I need to talk to. Besides Joseph, he's also someone who has a high chance of being the father. I don't even remember how many times we did it, but I remember waking up the next morning and feeling too full for it to be normal. Even my stomach was a bit bloated from how much cum was in me. Cleaning up the next morning was a bitch...

Still, I had to tell him. And honestly, I was more nervous about this than anything. Robert seemed like a pretty chill guy, but even though most of the Alphas were happy about the baby, disregarding Joseph, that didn't mean Robert was going to be the same way. He seemed like a lone wolf, and might not take well to having extra pups tagging along with him. But it still wasn't right to keep news like this from him. What if he happened to see my baby one day and he or she looked exactly like him? It'd be really hard, and not to mention awkward, to explain that I had a baby by him and didn't even tell him. No, regardless of his attitude, he had a right to know.

* * *

Robert is leaning against what I assume is his truck, spinning a knife in his hands. He doesn't look any worse for wear from when I last saw him, though he does look a bit bored. Just how long was he outside waiting for me?

"Hi Robert," I say nervously. This might as well be another booty call, or it might be genuine. He doesn't let anything show on his face so I can't be sure. 

"Haven't seen you in a while." He pockets his knife and stares straight at me, looking me over for...something. I don't know what exactly he's looking for, but I don't think he finds it because he makes a near silent noise of disappointment and puts his hands in his jacket pockets. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Just...a little under the weather. Had a few problems to deal with."

"It wasn't that pack, was it?" Robert's eye narrow and I start to feel heat radiate from him, even though there's two feet separating us.

"No!" I say quickly. "No, I haven't seen them since that night." Which was a lie. I had seem them, and they had mocked me and called me a slut that would just open for any Alpha. I tried to remind them that they were planning on doing the same thing, but they ignored that particular fact and told me that they wouldn't want anyone's "leftovers". I was so embarrassed, especially when other people on the street became curious and start mocking me when they found out about what I did.

I think my discomfort showed on my face because Robert steps closer to me and lifts my chin, inspecting my face. "You're lying," he says once he released me. "Did they hurt you?"

"NO!" Robert doesn't jump at my shout, but he does take a step back. "They didn't do anything."

His gaze never leaves mine. It only takes a couple of seconds before I break. "They said some really nasty things about me and were just being assholes. But I haven't seen them since then." They probably moved onto someone else by now.

"Those damn..." Robert shakes his head. "Someone needs to knock them down a peg."

I don't think I like his tone. It's scary. He sounds like he might go after them and introduce them to his knife collection. Because I have a feeling he has a knife collection somewhere. He strikes me as a knife collection guy. "It's fine Robert. Seriously. I'm okay."

Robert checks me over one more time, and when he's satisfied with what he sees, he takes another step back and leans against his truck. "Wanna go get a drink?"

I do want to spend a little time with him, but I can't drink. Not while I’m pregnant. "I don't think that's a good idea. I can't drink," I mumble.

"You a lightweight? Cause you didn't seem like one the other night."

"That...I...that was before..." I self-consciously place a hand on my stomach. "Before some stuff happened."

"Stuff?"

It's clear that Robert isn't going to take the hint. Actually, I've been beating around the bush a little, but I might just have to be blunt with him. He's the straightforward type; it'll be better for him. "I can't drink because...because I'm pregnant."

Robert's face registers surprise, but only for a brief moment. There's a slight widening of his eyes, and then his whole facade changes. I can practically see the walls coming up around him and he's not the somewhat friendly guy I met at the bar, who protected me from a pack of Alphas and loaned me a jacket to ward off further confrontation. Now, he's that rough, cold person I had seen glimpses of, but never came face-to-face with. "Congratulations I guess."

I feel something bubbling in my stomach and it feels like I'm going throw up. This conversation just went south. It suddenly feels much colder, even though I'm wearing a sweater and a jacket. "A-Aren't you...I mean, are you okay?" It was the best way I could gauge how this was going. "This is...pretty big news."

"I know." Curt and stiff. Yeah, this isn't going well. "And I'm fine. I'm just wondering why this concerns me."

"Because there's a chance that you could be a father!" I knew it was too good to be true. I knew someone was bound to be put-off by the news. "I stayed over all night and we...well..." I can feel my face get hot just remembering everything that happened. "There's a chance you could be a father."

"We had our fun, yeah, but I know I'm not the only one you were with. You had sex with a bunch of different people. Any one of them has a chance. But I'm calling it right now: I'm not the father of that kid."

"But Robert-"

"I'm happy for you, but I have nothing to do with it, so I want nothing to do with it.”

Great. I'm pregnant with a child and dealing with one. "Robert, I'm telling you this because you could be the father."

His expression hardens on me. Where he'd been casual earlier, he seemed...mad now. "And I'm telling you that I'm not."

"We slept together!"

"You slept with other guys too."

”Why are you being so stubborn?! I’m not saying it’s only you, but you have the highest chance to be the father!” I think the neighbor is going to wake with how loud I was being. But I’m not backing down. How is he just going to ignore this like it’s not going to change our lives.

"Look, I'm not going to say this again. And I'm not going to listen to this bullshit again. I'm not the father of that kid. Go antagonize one of the other guys you fucked."

”Why are you so adamant about that?! How could you not be the father?! You’re one of the guys I fucked!”

”Because-“ Robert shuts his mouth and turns his head away, taking out his knife and playing with the hilt. He was going to explain himself, I just knew it, but he shut down on me. Just like I thought he would. “Doesn’t matter. The kid ain’t mine.”

”Robert-“

”I’ll see you around.” The tone of his voice sounds like I won’t be seeing him anytime soon. Robert hops into his truck, rolls up the windows, and drives off into the night. I feel tears stinging at my eyes and I don’t know why. But some start to fall regardless of how much I don’t want them too.

”Dad?”

I turn, only for Amanda’s arms to be wrapped around me before I can wipe my eyes. She hugs me tightly, probably seeing my argument with Robert and assuming the worst. I hug her back, feeling more tears dripping down my face. 

“It’ll be okay. Give him time. He might come around.”

”H-How do you know that?”

”The window was open. I heard everything. He might just be in shock. I think if you give him a while, he’ll come to terms.”

I sniff, removing one of my arms from around her to wipe my face. “Who taught you how to handle adult stuff so well?”

”The same adult whose gonna teach my younger sibling the same thing.” Her hand comes to rest on my relatively flat stomach. “And the same adult that’s gonna have this baby and not worry about anything else.”

I give Amanda another hug. “Thank Panda. I needed that.”

”I know Pops. But I’m here when no one else is. I love you.”

”I love you too Amanda.” 

* * *

”I can’t believe it.” Amanda stares at the plastic container longingly. “I live here and I don’t even get the luxury of having cookies when I suggest them.” She glares at me. “This isn’t fair y’know.”

I wipe my hands off and cover the container, closing the clasps on the side. “You do live here. And you get cookies among other baked goods when you want. Hugo’s a teacher and from what I saw, there aren’t many students open to giving him treats like this. I’m trying to be nice.”

”You’re trying to make everyone fat so that they can’t leave you with this baby,” Amanda grumbles, staring at the sink. “I didn’t even get to lick the spoon!”

”You got the eat the rest of the peanut butter.”

”Yeah but we can buy that! You don’t make peanut butter cookies that often!”

”Amanda, are you sure you don’t want to be a drama major? You’re certainly being very dramatic over cookies.”

”It’s a grave offense!”

”It’s a kind gesture.”

Amanda huffs, once again stealing a glance at the container. “Lucky teacher.”

I chuckle, picking up the container and heading for the door. Amanda looks around for any kind of dessert we might have left over and pouts when she can’t find anything. “This is cruel!”

”I taught you how to make cookies! Just make your own!”

Amanda groaning is my only reply.

* * *

Even though school is over, the school is still buzzing with activity. Numerous sports teams are gathering on the field for practice, many students with instruments are lugging them to their respective classrooms, while the older high school students are hanging out in the parking leaning against cars. None of them spare me a second glance, all absorbed in what they were doing to care about me walking through the school. 

Hugo is once again at his desk, this time grading projects. They look like they’re supposed to be aquariums, but one of them is just a piece of blue construction paper with blobs of colors that’s supposed to resemble fish. Hugo looks like he’s trying to grade them fairly, but with how bad they are, I don’t think he can.

”Do they really need to be graded now?” I ask, coming over to his desk and setting the cookies down. “If effort didn’t go into making them, then effort shouldn’t go into grading them.”

Hugo relaxes in his chair and pushes his grading away. “I know, but this class lacks project grades and the school changed it’s standards again and now we need more project-based activities in class.”

”See there? Bullshit like that deserves an A.”

Hugo chuckles, which soon devolves into full-blown laughter. A few teachers wander by the door and wonder if Hugo’s finally joined them in the ranks of insanity, but he just keeps laughing. It’s about three minutes later when he finally calms down.

”I can see why you might think that, but the schools can be really specific about grading policies and their educational standards.” He hands me a rubric with a bunch of different regulations on it that I don’t even bother trying to understand. 

“Yeah, not even gonna try to read that whole thing,” I say as I hand it back. 

“The worst part is that this is a rubric for me. I have to follow these guidelines and make sure the projects I assign fit in with them.”

”See, in baking, you just have to make sure it’s not burnt, it’s edible, and it tastes good.” I push the container over to him and give it a little shake.

Hugo laughs again, not as loud and long as before though. “If I was any good at baking, I’d switch careers.” He takes a cookie without much prompting and takes a bite, smiling once the flavor hits him. “Peanut butter?”

”Yep. Amanda didn’t let me hear the end of it. But I figured you deserved them.”

”You might just be my favorite parent ever.” 

Hugo eats another couple of cookies while he grades, and I sit and try to figure out exactly how to break it to him. I don’t want to be blunt like I was with Joseph, but I also don’t want to edge around it either. You’d think I’d have enough courage from telling four other people that this would be easy, but it isn’t. 

“So...” I start slowly. 

Hugo nods in my direction, keeps his attention on his grading. 

“I’ve got news for you.”

He pauses as he reaches for another cookie, looking between them and me. “Are these a bribe this time?”

”No no. No bribes. Just...news. I um...I’m pregnant.”

Hugo drops both the cookie and his pen, slowly turning to stare at me. “Danny...”

”Three weeks,” I continue. “It was a bit of a shock, but...uh...yeah.” Wow, there was probably a less awkward way to say that, but there it is. Hugo is still staring at me, dumbstruck. 

“This is...certainly news...” Hugo says after a minute, pushing away from his chair. “I...I’m having a bit of trouble processing this.”

This seems like a bad reaction. 

“I mean, I feel like I messed up somewhere with Ernest and that’s why he likes his other father more, and I really don’t want to make a mistake here. And Ernest! How will he take this? He talked about wanting a little sibling when he was younger, but that was before everything happened! I don’t want this one to hate me too.”

”Whoa Hugo! Back up.” I kneel in front of him and force him to look at me. “You didn’t mess up with Ernest. He might just be...going through something. Maybe the separation is still hitting him hard or he’s bottling things up or something, but you didn’t mess up. And you’re not gonna mess up with this one. Just take a step back and focus on the now.”

Hugo’s eyes slowly come back into focus until he’s finally thinking clearly and he clears his throat. “Sorry. I’m sorry. I just...got a little crazy there.”

”A little?” I joke. “No, in all seriousness, it’s fine. Well no, it’s not fine. The next piece of news is probably gonna make you crazy?”

”What would that be?”

”Well...” This part always hit me. “I wasn’t alone a single day during my heat. And...I won’t be able to tell until the tenth week, but the baby might not be yours.”

Hugo slumps in his chair. “I’m not even sure I’m surprised.”

What? “What?”

He gestures to my hips. “I saw fading marks, but I tried to assume it was for something else. I don’t know what else it could’ve been, but I imagined that it was something.”

”Oh.”

Hugo lifts my chin, even though I wasn’t aware I dropped it. “It’s a bit shocking, but I won’t pull away. I’ve got some pregnancy books back home from when Ernest was younger and I know a few places to call if you need assistance with anything. I also have a number for a really good doctor; he’s an old friend of mine and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind doing me a favor. And-what?”

I can’t help but laugh. “I’m only three weeks in Hugo.”

”The first few months are important Danny!”

* * *

When I get home, Amanda hasn't found anything to eat and is simply watching some dessert show on the cooking channel while laying across the couch.

"Won't that just make you hungrier?" 

"Since you'd rather bake for other people instead of me, I figured I could take notes."

"You don't have a notebook though."

"I have photogenic memory." She glares about me before I can speak. "And if you make some sort of pun or a joke, I will seriously shave your eyebrows. I mean that."

I hold up my hands. "Okay. Okay. I was just going to tell you that I have successfully told five out of the seven Alphas I needed to speak to. Now I only have to tell Brian and Mat and I should be alright." Unless they all started to fight over me. Then we'd have some problems. "So, let me ask you a question."

"I have no idea how the physics teacher got glued to his chair."

"What? What are you talking about?"

Amanda pauses. "What are  _you_ talking about?"

"I was going to ask if you wanted a little brother or a little sister. What's this about your physics teacher getting glued to a chair?"

"A little brother would be cool," Amanda says, avoiding my question. "I could teach him sports and how to break someone's leg and the best positions to binge watch TV shows in. But a little sister? The world isn't ready for two Amanda Anns. Breaking stuff, eating ice cream sandwiches for every meal, stealing dogs. We'd be a tag team menace to society. Just how I would like it."

"What if the little boy ended up like you? Like...Arnold Arand?"

"Ooh, then he could cause distractions while I handled the big business!"

"I'm very concerned for your future aspirations with these children Amanda."

"Hey, if the street life was good enough for me, it'll be good enough for them. They'll have to learn to be tough, just like I did." She folds her arms and nods. "Yeah. Learn how the night life works. Who really runs the streets? Stuff like that."

"Amanda..."

"I'm kidding Pops. I'm kidding."

* * *

It probably wouldn’t be ideal to break the news to Mat whole he’s working. People can be nosy and I don’t want anyone to overhear what I tell him and then go spread it around town. I also don’t want him to find out from someone else. While Hugo and Craig probably weren’t going to tell, and Damien didn’t seem like the type to let his business loose, but Robert and Joseph both reacted on a more negative note, and I have no idea what they might do. But regardless, I do have two more people to tell. Mat was a little awkward, but overall seemed chill. Maybe he wouldn’t freak out too badly. 

“Oh no! Not again!” Amanda grabs my hands before I can get to the pantry. “No baking!”

”Amanda, I made you cookies-“ I start, but she shakes her head.

”No, it’s not about that! You’ve been by the oven too much! You need to take a break. All the heat isn’t good for the baby.” She pulls me away from the kitchen and forces me to the couch. “I know you do it because you’re a good person and all, but not so much, okay? And I know you're going to be by ovens a lot when you open the bakery, but at least get some help. Hire an assistant or something or guilt trip one of the Alphas into helping you, but don’t strain yourself.”

Wow. I had no idea she had felt that way. Then again, I should've known that she would done her research and watch out for me. She’s gotten a lot more protective lately, offering to do my share of chores so that I don't overexert myself. “Amanda, I was getting a snack. I wasn’t baking anything!”

”Oh.” She plops down on the couch beside me and smiles sheepishly. “Well, good. I don’t need anything happening to you or Baby A.”

”Baby A?” Where did that come from? I wasn't even thinking of names this early on. I figured I would just find a giant list and have all the fathers decide with me.

”Yeah. Baby A. Y’know, because the baby’s gonna have an A name.”

”Who said they were gonna have an A name? What about F? F is a good letter.”

Amanda looks skeptical. “What’s a good F name?”

I didn’t think that far ahead. “Uh...F...Felicia for a girl...and uh...Frank for the boy?”

”Frank? Really?”

”Frank is a quality name!”

”How many Franks do you actually know?”

A few! “A number of them.”

”I’m waiting Pops.”

Conveniently, my phone buzzes with a message from Mat, the exact person I needed to see. 

**_Hey Danny. Can I ask a favor? I’m trying out another recipe and I need an opinion from experts. Do you think you and Amanda could come by and help?_ **

“Well perfect. Mat wants us to come by and try something for the coffee shop.”

”More banana bread?”

”He didn’t say. He just needs second opinions. Do you wanna come?”

Amanda nods, rolling herself off the couch. “Sure. Let’s go.” She turns and gives me a look. "Seriously though, do not name this baby Frank."

"Frank's a good name!"

* * *

The Coffee Spoon is moderately busy when Amanda and I drop by. Most people already have their coffee and are lounged around, talking among themselves. Others are simply relaxing and listening to music, and a few are on laptops and tablets while they enjoy large cups of coffee. Mat himself is in the corner, gathering mugs from the dirty bin. I wave at him from the door once he catches my eye, and he smiles and tries to wave back even though his arms are full. However, Carmensita comes running from the back and liberates her father from the load he was carrying, running in the back to wash them. Mat makes his way over, his smile widening when he sees us. “Glad you guys came. I got stuck again and desperately needed help.”

"Always happy to get free food," Amanda says with a smile. She looks around for a moment and spots Carmensita is sitting on a large stool behind the counter, reading a book. “Oh hey, Carmensita's here. Did she try whatever it is you made?”

”She did, but she was the one who told me to ask you. I always let her try something new, but always tells me to ask someone else because she thinks everything is good. I figured since you and Amanda helped so much with the banana bread, I could get help from you guys. Go ahead and have a seat; I’ll bring it out.”

Amanda heads over to an open table, but before I can follow, Mat takes hold of my elbow. “Hey, Danny? Is everything alright? You kinda disappeared after...” Mat trails off, a light dusting of red covering his cheeks. “I was scared I kinda...maybe scared you off.”

I give him a small smile. ”No, Mat. I was feeling a little under the weather and I finally got over it. Amanda called it an extreme icing overdose but I think I caught a bug.”

Mat laughs, relief coming over his face. “Good. Good. Not that you had a bug, but that you're feeling better. I mean...I just...good.” He chuckles nervously. “Let me go get it.”

He hurries off, maneuvering between tables and ducking into the back for a second. I hurry over to the table Amanda picked, where she’s talking with Carmensita.

”What was that about?” Amanda asks once I sit down.

“Oh nothing. Mat was just thanking me for the pie. He never got a chance to last time.”

Carmensita gasps. “You made that pie? It was really good! I mean, I only had a slice, but I liked it. Dad ate the rest.”

I chuckle. With the way Mat had was eating the cupcakes I brought last time and how fast he ate the pie, I'm not surprised. “I’m sorry. Maybe I’ll make another one for you. What’s your favorite flavor?”

”Apple. Definitely apple.” She looks over at Mat, who approaches with a tray. “Dad, Amanda’s Dad is making me an apple pie and you’d better not eat the whole thing again.”

Mat looks embarrassed, red dusting his cheeks again. “I did not eat the whole thing. Are you sure you weren't sneaking pieces?”

”Yes, I'm sure. I'm sure because I saw you taking pieces at night!”

Amanda and I laugh as Mat offers apologies to Carmensita, who makes him swear that he won't sneak pieces at night when he think she's asleep. Once she’s appeased, Carmensita pulls the tray over to us and grins. “We made coffee cake!”

Mat cuts all three of us a slice, giving me a slightly larger piece than Amanda or Carmensita. Amanda licks the icing off the top first before taking a bite, as does Carmensita. I tear off a piece from the side and nibble at it a bit. The cake is warm and fluffy, and the icing just seems to melt. I’m finished with my piece before I even realize it, surprising everyone. 

"Dad, manners please," Amanda says, only a third of the way through her piece.

“That good?” Mat jokes.

I chuckle nervously. “I was a bit hungry.” Honestly, the baby wanted something sweet. Cravings kicked in earlier than I expected and now I want nothing but sweets. Chocolate was preferred, but I'll accept anything at this point. 

“Do you want another piece?”

“Yes please.”

Mat cuts me another piece, this one a lot bigger than the last. I try to take this one a little slower, but I can’t help it and end up scarfing this one down as well. Amanda nudges me in the side, trying to get me to slow down, but this piece of cake ends up gone too soon as well. 

“Sorry,” I say when I realize all eyes are on me. “That was probably disgusting. But it was really good cake.” 

Mat laughs. “Well good. I hope that customers see it that way too.” 

I look over to where Amanda and Carmensita are talking animatedly and glance up at Mat. “Mat, can we go somewhere and talk? I need to tell you something.”

”Sure. Let’s go to the back. I’ve got some mugs to wash.” 

Mat leads me to the back, where most of the coffee product is. It smells heavily of different coffee beans and judging by some of the labels, there are some really exotic flavors back here. There are old coffee machines in a back corner, and a door at the far end of the hall. Probably where Mat does all his paperwork.

He goes over to where a large container of dirty mugs resting by the sink and begins carefully cleaning each of them. “Everything alright?”

”As well as it can be,” I answer. “Just, dealing with something right now that’s changing everything.”

Mat slows in his washing, turning his head slightly to look at me. “What kind of something?”

”The baby-on-the-way kind of something,” I admit quickly. 

Mat drops a mug in the sink, the ceramic shattering against the wall of the sink. Mat himself is frozen, slowly turning to stare at me. "You're pregnant?"

"Mat, your finger!"

Mat jumps, not noticing a piece of the mug had nicked him. There's a small drip of blood slowly bubbling up from the cut. Mat still doesn't move, ignoring the cut until I run water over it. That seems to register to him as he finally jumps, wincing from the sting. "Shit, I didn't mean to do that."

"Do you have bandages somewhere?"

"In the office by the desk."

I quickly hurry to the office and spot a first-aid kit hanging beside the desk. There's a bottle of anti-septic and a pack of bandages, which I take and hurry back to Mat. He seems fine now, though his eyes betray that he's still in shock. He doesn't react much when I spray his cut and carefully wrap it with a bandage. It's only when I come back from putting all the stuff away does Mat finally get around to picking up the broken pieces of the mug and throwing them away.

"Sorry, I spaced out a little. But are you serious?"

I nod. Suddenly, Mat breaks out into a huge grin. "Oh my god! No way! Really?! Wait, you already said yes, but for real?! I can't believe it! I just-"

"Mat, calm down." He's starting to get really excited and I know the next piece of news will break him. I don't want to kill his vibe, but it'll would be worse in the long run if I neglect to tell him. "You might end up passing out."

"Sorry! Sorry! I'm just really excited. I didn't really think I..." Mat trails off, suddenly looking uncertain. "Never mind that. I'm just really happy."

Aaaaand there's the pit again. Mat's reaction has been the best so far, I'd really hate to crush it. "I'm happy too, but there's something else." 

Mat calms down, but I can still see him buzzing with excitement. "Yeah? What is it?"

"You might not be the father. I was...I mean, I wasn't exactly with one person that week."

Mat is quick to put the pieces together, and his expression turns sad. "You weren't...forced, were you?"

"No. No, it wasn't anything by force." For a moment, I think of my encounter with Joseph, but I refuse to think about that any more than I want to. "It had just...been a while since I was with anyone and my body was reacting to every Alpha that moved and...then stuff happened and here we are."

Mat takes a step closer to me, then pauses, like he's unsure. "Yeah, but I know there are some Alphas around here that...aren't the best of characters and...well, they can be really aggressive. I just want to make sure...y'know."

Oh. I get it. Mat isn't upset that I slept around. He's just worried that some of the more aggressive ones. "Nothing like that happened either. I met a really aggressive pack, but they didn't do anything to me. A friendly face scared them off."

"Then, I'm happy. I'm glad nothing bad happened to you. And hey, even if the baby isn't mine, I'll be around. It isn't easy being a single-parent." Mat hesitates for a moment, then quickly pecks my cheek, moving back before I can do anything. "But I'll be with you every step of the way."

I'm pretty sure my face is on fire, but so is Mat's, so I'm okay. He gives me a final grin before turning back to the mugs, and i head back to Amanda and Carmensita.

The coffee cake is gone when I get back, the girls pointing at one another the moment I look up from the empty tray. "SHE DID IT!" 

Judging by the crumbs on both their faces and the little smudge of icing on the corner of Carmensita's mouth, I can tell it was a joint effort. "Carmensita, if I can't trust you alone with a coffee cake, whose to say I can trust you with an apple pie?" I turn to Amanda. "I already know I can't trust you with any dessert, but you couldn't even save me a slice?"

The two of them look guilty, though the smiles on their faces betray how they really feel.  

* * *

Brian is outside working on his lawn when we return, which will make this easy. He's the last person I have to tell, but having already gone through this seven times, I think I can handle telling one more person. For once, I don't feel dread hanging over me from having to get through this. Most of the Alphas reacted well, and with his generally happy outlook, I'm sure Brian will be alright. I'm fully expecting some anger or some disappointment, but I don't think Brian is the type to react with violence.

Brian is by his garage, fiddling with something in his lawnmower. His shirt is folded up and resting on a tool shelf, probably to avoid all the sweat dripping down his body. He's so concentrated on his task that he doesn't hear me approach until I'm kneeling beside him. He's quick to try and wipe sweat from his brow and try to wipe the grease from his hands. "Hey Danny. Haven't seen ya in a while."

"I've been a little...preoccupied lately," I answer. "Had a lot going on."

"Everything okay?" Brian twists a cap back into place and stands, swiping his shirt off the shelf. 

"Yeah. Everything's fine. I'm just...well I recently found out that I'm pregnant."

Brian reacts quicker than any of the others. There's a moment of shock and disbelief on his face, then a brief moment of fear before Brian gives a tentative smile. "That's great! How far along?"

"Three weeks," I reply. "It's still really early."

Brian counts backwards on his fingers, then nods. "Yeah, that sounds about right." The fear comes back for a brief moment, and Brian hesitates before speaking again. "A-Are you keeping it?"

"Of course I'm keeping it. I want this baby. But there is something else."

The fear comes back, more prominent this time. "Something bad?"

"No. Nothing, well it depends. See, that week, I was with a few others. And none of them wore protection. So, this baby may or not be yours."

To my surprise, Brian waves it away. "It's a little hard to hear that, but it isn't enough to turn me away. This might be rough on ya, and you'll need all the help you can get. I know my late wife had a bit of trouble with Daisy. But you've got my support." He grins at me. "And if this baby is mine, you won't be able to get rid of me."

That makes me laugh, and feel much better about the whole thing. "Wouldn't dream of it."

* * *

That went much better than I expected. I thought someone might yell at me or pull away, but it went about as alright as I could'be hoped. Of course Robert's rejection and Joseph's reaction put a damper on my mood, but it wasn't enough to completely ruin it. I hope that Robert comes around and actually tells me the real reason he pulled away, and I'm not looking forward to how Mary is going to react when Joseph tells her, but I've got enough support behind me that I think I'll be alright.

"We'll be alright," I say, rubbing my stomach. "Especially you. You have so many people excited to meet you, and that want to protect you. I'll probably end up being the bad guy because you're going to get spoiled. Especially from your older sister. For now, I want you to get big and healthy. We've got a lone nine months ahead of us."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is actually unedited, so please excuse all grammer mistakes and other further errors. I really wanted to push this out for you guys. I'll probably hit this again in the next couple days and fix some mistakes.
> 
> (Note: Alpha Females have a penis available to them for use when it comes to mating and knotting. This is true for Damien, who didn’t use it during his initial coupling. However, both he and Danny were implying that Damien did end up pushing into Danny while he had passed out, but regained his senses and pulled out because he’s a gentleman. Still, he and Danny understand that he still had a chance to father the baby, even tough it’s small.)
> 
> (Credit to J.D. Writes on Tumblr for the f!alpha idea)
> 
> I know Robert was a little Out of Character, but trust me, he needs to be the distant one. I know Robert fans might hate me now, but I swear I have plans. I have plans for everyone. He and Joseph just happened to be the ones pulling back the most. 
> 
>  


	5. Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that I have the support of the Alpha's behind me, my life has been changing. They've been doting over me, taking care of me, and making sure that I'm okay with this pregnancy. They've also been a lot more affectionate towards me as well...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I already know. Most of you want to punch Robert in the throat. Or tackle him. I get that. I really do. He's being a bit of an asshole. But I promise that he'll be back. I promise.  
> Everyone has also been in love with the dads being cuties so I tried to provide that once again.

I'm two and a half months into my pregnancy and things have changed for the better around me.

For one, Amanda is already shopping for baby clothes and toys online. She had a large shopping cart filled with stuff that I don’t need at the moment and she insists that they all have high ratings and would be perfect for the baby. I appreciate what she’s doing, but I think it’s a little too soon for that. But Amanda insists that I’ll be grateful when the time comes, so I don’t stop her. She already has ideas for how to design the baby’s room and where everything will go, and she already told me that she was in charge of the decorating committee. I think I spotted a binder in her room that looked like a bunch of different designs for the room, but Amanda is tight-lipped about it.

Secondly, the Alphas are more involved in my life than I thought they would be.

Once the Alphas found out exactly who the others involved were, I expected them to break into a fight. I called all of them together so that there were no more surprises or secrets between anyone. Since they were all neighbors, I knew something would be up if they started talking, so I wanted clear air with everyone. There was an intense stare down between all of them, like they were sizing each other up, and a few of them tensed up like they were going to lunge. But once they took notice of the fact that their presences caused heat to build in the room and I looked like I was about to faint, they immediately calmed down and made sure I was alright. They had a silent conversation between them before they decided among themselves that I was more important than any feud over whose baby I'm having. So they worked out a schedule so that I was never alone.

I never go out alone anymore. One of them always spends the day with me, no matter where I have to go or how trivial an errand might be. If I have to go shopping for anything, someone accompanies me and carries all the bags for me, even if they're light. Amanda helps me in the kitchen when I cook and has taken over household chores, even though I told her I'm more than capable of mopping a floor and dusting. I don't need her doing housework, homework, and the last of her essays for college. But she assures me that she can handle it. It's not just her though. The other Alphas watch over me very carefully, making sure I don't strain myself.

They watch what I eat, drink, and everything do. Mat took it upon himself to watch what I drink. He's made me some substitutes for the large lack of coffee I'm not going to be drinking these next few months an only lets me have smoothies and herbal tea. I don't mind that he's gone out of his way for me; I haven't thought about a cup of coffee in a month now. He’s even taken me to a farmer’s market where we can get fresh fruit smoothies and juices that are good for me and the baby. A few of them had been friends of his and happily passed on a few recipes for me to use at home so that I have them at my disposal. And now, Amanda and I are hooked are these smoothies. We drink at least five or six a day.

Craig is in charge of making sure I eat right. With his help, I’ve learned a lot of healthy alternatives to many of my dessert recipes so that they’re more beneficial to our health, seeing as too much sugar is bad for us as well. For other meals, he did some research into what was alright for me eat and what I should avoid, which wasn't as much as I thought. Amanda had a hard time adjusting at first, but she eventually found that we didn't change our eating patterns too much. Meals are a little different now, but nothing drastic. The only thing he changed is that he has me eating a lot of lean meats, dark vegetables, and dried fruit. I want to make sure the baby and I stay healthy, so I'm perfectly fine with the change in diet.

Damien and I started a little garden in the backyard, and we've planted fruits, vegetables, and some flowers, all in the spring variety while they're still in season. Damien has more of a green thumb than I do, but he's patient with me and always giving me tips on how things grow. It's an activity that doesn't stress me out or take too much energy, and I can spend hours with him gardening. If we're not out in our little garden, we're in his library, reading through a collection of novels. Sometimes I'll read fairy tales out loud for the baby, and other times I'll try and read classic literature, but more often than not, I'm curled up in the armchair beside Damien while he reads me novels in a different language. I have no idea what any of the stories are, but Damien reads them to me fluently ad soothingly, to the point where I end up dozing off to the sound of the foreign stories. I usually wake up with a blanket draped over me and a bundle of flowers beside me, which never fails to make me smile.

Brian goes over plans to expand the house a bit for the baby. There’s a storage closet in the house that we don’t use, and he thinks it would be better to expand it and make a baby’s room out of it. And he says he can make it work before the baby is born, giving us enough time to set it up for a baby. He doesn’t want to charge me anything for it, even though I feel like he needs some type of compensation for doing all of this for me. He insists that he doesn’t want any money since he’s doing it for me and the baby.

I can't spend as much time with Hugo as I can the others since he's usually at the school teaching, but some evenings I help him grade papers while he plays classical music for the baby to listen to. Some of them tend to drag on, but Hugo enjoys it and I don't want to deny that to him. Sometimes, in order to wind down, we'll sit and read some books together on pregnancy so that I know how the baby is developing, signs to look out for if something doesn't feel right, and books on proper breathing through labor and delivery. Or we'll skip the grading and the reading and just watch really old movies. Some of them are based on the books he's teaching in class, while others are classic horror moves since he found out I'm a horror movie fan. He says that I shouldn't watch them around the baby but I think they'll be fine.

It’s nice that they all accepted me, but for the ones who didn’t…

I eventually came out and told that Robert and Joseph were both involved with me, and that they might also have fathered the baby. The reaction that time was...it wasn't good. There was disbelief that Joseph would cheat on Mary when they seemed to have such a great marriage and Joseph was a minister, but I swore to them that I was telling the truth. And with Robert, they knew he was a bit of a troubled soul, and all assured me that he'd come around eventually. And speaking of Robert...

Damien was actually really close to Robert, so he was the most likely to encounter him, but Robert was dodgy around him as well. In fact, Robert wasn't even around town very much. When Damien did see Robert, he was usually drunk and mumbling incoherently about...something or other, Damien could never really tell. The only time anything registered to him was when Damien brought me up, but Robert usually avoided the conversation and went away. I saw him a few times, but he'd always disappear before I could get a chance to talk to him. Like he was avoiding me or something. I tried calling him, but he blocked me and just...he disappeared.

Joseph hasn’t really shown up. I'll see him outside sometimes or around town, but he doesn't react more than a wave and a few forced words. Maybe this whole thing has him a little shaken up, but he hasn’t tried to get in contact with me yet. I don’t know if he had told Mary or not, but I saw her the other day and she didn’t show any hostility towards me. Though, Joseph was with her but he kept steering the conversation elsewhere. I also don’t think Mary has noticed anything off about me, so I was in the clear now. But there was going to be dialogue between the three of us and it was scaring me.

So far, things have been pretty good. Other than throwing up all the time and a lack of energy, I feel great. This pregnancy looks like it might be nice. I’m only in the second month and I’ve gained just a bit of weight, but I was told that my body will start to change as the baby grows. I already know that I’ll have to change some things around the house and adjust my wardrobe, but I think for now, I’ll be alright.

* * *

 "Dad, look!" Amanda runs over to a display and points to a onesie in the window. "It's so cute!" She points at one next to it. "No, that one's cuter! No, that's really cute!"

I shake my head. Amanda managed to find some sort of baby toy or clothes on the way here and she keeps stopping and pointing out the cute ones. Which is everything. I've only bought a few things, all in neutral colors, and haven't set a date where I will fully dedicate myself to a large shopping spree. That, and we walked here and I don't want to carry anything all the way back home. "Amanda, you stopped six times already. Let's go window shopping another time. For now, let's get the keys made."

Amanda casts a longing look at the onsies. "What if they aren't there when we come back? Then we won't see them ever again!"

"They might be online somewhere. Or we can order them. Every store seems to have an online section as well, so we can look for them and you can add them to your already large cart."

"But you need to start shopping now! Babies need as many clothes as you can get! They'll grow out of everything so fast that they might only get to wear something once! We have to get everything we need!"

"And put it where? We haven't finished cleaning out the spare room yet."

Amanda snaps her fingers. "Yeah! Hugo and I need to get on that!" She pauses and shakes her head. "It's weird seeing my teacher so much outside of school. And with my Dad! He has more leverage over me to get assignments in."

I raise an eyebrow. "But you are getting them turned in, right?"

Amanda nods. "Of course I am. You said it yourself that you need me to knock out the last few months of school, and I fully intend to do that. It's just a little odd."

"I know what you mean. It's a little odd that so many people are in and out the house now. We're all basically living together as of now." I hold up the keys. "And now that we're making keys, it feels a lot more official."

Amanda and I decided that it would be much better to give the Alphas keys rather than having them knock on the door all the time. It'd be easier for all of us if they could get to me without waiting for someone to answer the door. That, and with how much they're over, it's like they're already living with me.

The shop only has two or three people in it, most of them checking out chains for their doors and different knobs. The locksmith has his back turned towards me, messing with something behind him.

"Excuse me? Can we get six copies of these made?"

He turns and my heart stops. I recognize that cocky smirk to that predatory look in his eye. He may be alone, but that doesn't make him any less intimidating than the last time I saw him. I should feel safer being in a public place, but I feel trapped, pinned by his lustful gaze. Of all the places, I can't believed I'd encounter him here.

The pack leader.

"What can I do for you?" He purrs, eyeing me up and down with no shame. His eyes drift lower and I can feel him staring at my crotch for far long than I'm comfortable with before looking back at me and smirking. He slowly licks his lips as if he's already devouring me and makes sure we never lose eye contact.

Amanda takes notice of my stiff posture and immediately stands at attention. "We need six copies of this key right here," she explains, slamming the key down onto counter. "Now please." Her tone implies that this better be done immediately or else someone is going to pay. For a brief moment, I feel heat rising between them from anger, but Amanda is quick to simmer down, if only a bit.

His eyes briefly flick to her in warning before he turns to me, his eyes dancing with mischief. "I can't help but wonder...why so many? Do you expect a high number of  _special guests?"_

"No," I bite out, knowing exactly what he was implying. "I have...family moving in with me." It was kind of the truth.

"Family? Are you sure you aren't planning something  _naughty?_ After all, a slut like you wanting so many keys can only mean that  _something_ is going on. I just hope I get invited to it." He chuckles and licks his lips again, throwing in a wink for good measure. I'm repulsed by the action and feel like throwing up. I'm glad Robert was there to save me that night, else this asshole might've tried something with me.

Amanda snarls from beside me, slamming her hands on the counter. "Watch how you talk to my father!"

He turns to Amanda and grins. "Is this your kid? Cute." His eyes narrow and I can already tell the next few words out of his mouth are going to make one of us try to punch him. "How does it feel being a slut baby?"

It takes everything in me to hold Amanda back from lunging. She struggles at first, but only briefly. When she feels my arms around her and hear me trying to pull her back, she calms down, probably because she doesn't want to hurt the baby. But she snarls at him and looks like she'll lunge again if he says anything else.

"Can you please just make the keys for us?" I want this to be over with already. I'm running out of patience and I know that Amanda is seconds away from lunging.

"Depends. Is one for me so I can join this little slut party?"

This time, I don't stop Amanda from lunging.

* * *

"Why did you make six keys instead of just five?" Amanda asks, shaking out her hurt hand. "There are only five of them."

Amanda lunged across the counter and tackled the guy, surprising him and knocking him to the floor. There was a brief scuffle where I was worried that Amanda might get hurt, but she was relentless and it took the other two people ended up having to pry her from him. Robert had been right when he told me there were nothing tough, because when Amanda was finally pulled off him, he fled from the store as soon as he got to his feet. Amanda has a scratch on her, but otherwise remained okay. The other patrons in the store, a young couple and a beta, all checked on Amanda, admitting that the guy had also been shamelessly flirting with them and while they tried to fight off his advances, he was really persistent until they threatened to call the cops. They were glad that someone put him in his place, and hoped that he would think twice about who he pissed off.

"Well..." I look at the envelope holding the keys. "I had hope that maybe...well I had hope that Robert might come around. It might be his baby after all. So...in case he wanted a part of this, I was going to let him have a chance." My hand goes to my stomach, something I found myself doing much more now that I had a tiny baby bump. "I guess I shouldn't hold out though. I mean, if he's going out of his way to avoid me, I shouldn't hope he'll come to me. I can't help it though."

"I didn't really get a chance to meet him," Amanda says. "I only saw him at the barbecue. He seemed like a decent enough guy though; everyone was talking with him at one point or another, so maybe he's just afraid?"

"Him? Afraid? I thought about that, but I can't see why. He spoke like he has a kid or two, so I don't think he's afraid of being a father." I shake my head. "I don't know, but I'm willing to give him a chance."

Amanda stares at me for a long moment, making me a bit nervous. "What? What is it?" Was there something on my face?

She doesn't say anything, just smiles at me. "Nothing. Just...I was just thinking about stuff." She rubs my stomach gently, a wider smile growing on her face. "The baby mainly. I was pretty sure about it before, but I'm absolutely sure this kid is gonna be alright. Especially with a great Pops like you."

"Amanda..." I really don't want to start crying in public, but her words really touched me. "Don't forget about what a great big sister they'll have."

She takes my hands in hers and squeezes tightly, swinging our arms back and forth. "And a great family too. Whoever their father is, they'll probably spoil the kid too. And we'll all live happily ever after, having to roll around because you'll have fattened all of us up with your delicious desserts. And smoothies. The smoothies are good too." She gasps loudly. "You should sell desserts and smoothies! Or open up a smoothie bar instead!"

"I'd rather stick with baking. The smoothies are really good, but I think everyone likes dessert better." The Alphas certainly did. Craig didn't like to break from his diet, but he loved brownies, Hugo loved his peanut butter cookies, Mat was crazy about apple pie, Damien liked his tarts, and Brian like cupcakes. They would usually help me with the baking if I was making someone's favorite because they didn't want me to feel like they were taking advantage of my baking skills. Once again, I tried to talk them down, but no one would hear it. "Besides, keeping track of all those smoothie recipes is not easy. I'd much rather stick with what I know by heart."

Amanda nods. "I know. It just seemed like a good idea at the moment." We pass by an ice cream shop and Amanda slows her steps. "Dad, can we stop for ice cream? Please? It is our cheat day."

As if in agreement, I'm suddenly hit with a strong craving for ice cream and I know the baby is to blame. "You two are ganging up on me, aren't you?" I look between Amanda and my stomach, waiting for an answer, but Amanda just laughs me off and the craving gets stronger. "Alright fine. Let's get ice cream."

* * *

By the time we get home, I don't have much energy left and just collapse on the couch without bothering to take my shoes off. I'm barely able to toss the envelope onto the counter before I stretch out. I hear Amanda moving around, putting her stuff away in her room before she's hovering over me. "Dad, do you need anything? Did you take your vitamins today?"

"Yes Amanda. Everyone messaged me this morning and reminded me. And I found your sticky note by my beside this morning. I took my vitamins, I've been drinking enough water, and yes I ate something other than ice cream today. I just feel tired all of a sudden." I haven't been feeling the most energetic lately. I know that it's something that comes along with the pregnancy, but I've only had the energy to do about three things, then all I want to do is take frequent naps and lay down. It had Amanda concerned at first, but she's at ease knowing that it's just the baby. She keeps track of when I eat, how many cups of water I drink a day, and how many naps I take (and for how long) just in case she needs to report it to someone. Usually, when one of my Alphas comes home, Amanda lets them know what I did that day and how I was feeling. I'm glad she's keeping track of it, so when we go to our doctor visits I have accurate information to give.

My phone buzzes with a message that I don't feel like answering, but I know I have to or else the Alphas might worry. Unsurprisingly, it's Craig checking up on me, making sure I ate today and drank plenty of liquid. I answer him back, letting him know that I'm alright, just a little tired. There's a pause, and then another message comes through.

_**if you aren't too tired, do you want to come to the girls' softball game? You can bring Amanda too.** _

Oh yeah. Craig did mention the twins liked playing softball, and that he was the coach. I did't get to know the twins at all, so it would be nice to meet them.

_when does it start?_

**_Two hours. Will you be up for it?_ **

_as long as I get a nap in me, I'll be fine._

Craig sends me the address to the field and makes me promise that I'll really take a nap and not get up and do something. I tell him not to worry about me since I know Amanda will keep a eye on me and make sure I'm okay.

"Hey Amanda!"

"Yeah? Do you need something?" Amanda comes out the kitchen and over to my side. "Do you need something?"

"Craig invited us to a softball game. Wanna go?"

Amanda makes a face. "I don't know...I mean, remember that one time you signed me up for softball and you bought me all the gear and then you took me to the first game and someone hit a ball towards me and I just ran off the field crying?"

Oh yeah. She was absolutely terrified, and every time I even mentioned softball after that, she'd start screaming.  "And then you hid in the dugout and would scream if I tried to pick you up, yes." She didn't let me grab her until all the balls were out of sight. "I think we still have your old gear." At first, I kept it just in case she wanted to get back into it, but I don't remember ever throwing it away.

"We should burn that. I probably can't fit it anymore and the baby probably won't need it either; it'll be too out of date. But, it is high time." She squares her shoulders and looks me straight in the eye. I haven't seen determination like this in a long time. "It's high time I face my fears."

* * *

Amanda wakes me up a half hour before we're supposed to leave and gives me a bottle of water to drink, just so I don't dehydrate while we're outside. She also has a backpack ready that has extra water and some snacks. She also packed a small battery-powered fan in case I get too hot. Which, it shouldn't be outside, but she doesn't want to take chances.

I take a minute to fully wake up and shake the drowsiness off. I feel a little more energized, so I think I can handle a softball game. Hopefully Amanda won't be too frightened when we get there; I'd hate it if she didn't have fun because she was scared of getting hit.

I head to the bathroom to freshen up real quick while Amanda triple-checks her backpack. Once I come back, Amanda loads the car and we make the short drive to the local softball field.

* * *

The field is packed with parents from both teams, some wearing the color of their respective team while others are dressed casually, trying to spot their child. A bunch of parents are already in a heated argument over whose child has the better averages, while some are just waiting for the game to start. Amanda and I try to avoid as many of the more intense parents as possible as we clamber up the seats to the top row. I can't see Craig anywhere from here, though I suspect he's with his team.

"So, when do the kids start crying and running off the field?" Amanda asks, looking towards the dugout and trying to spot a terrified child.

"You know that your relationship with softball is different from everyone else's relationship with softball, right? Some children really enjoy it," I point out, seeing a couple of children looking really excited for the game. 

She doesn't look satisfied, eyeing the children suspiciously. "Okay, but if I don't see some kids cry I'm gonna be pretty disappointed. For nostalgia purposes of course. Not because I take joy out of children fighting for my amusement. Definitely not that." She nods once, like that makes everything better.

The game starts soon after, a line of kids running out onto the field. Craig is standing in the dugout with a clipboard, an excited looking River strapped to his chest. Near our team is a guy in a pancake costume doing jumping jacks across the field. There's a sign laying nearby with flapjacks on it, and it confuses me until I read the brightly colored jerseys and see that our team is called the Maple Bay Flapjacks. It's a really good play on the name.

"Hah! I get it. A flapjack doing jumping jacks. That's clever." I point to the mascot still jumping around, though I think he's slowed down a little. He's probably winded; jumping jacks do that to me all the time. 

Amanda doesn't look amused. "Do not use this as an opportunity to make a Dad joke."

"Amanda please. I'm batter than that."

"DAD I SWEAR!"

The team gets into position, many little girls getting into stances at their designated position. Parents cheer loudly, one woman louder than everyone else a little blonde haired girl with pigtails steps up first. She looks really nervous, like this is her first time up here. And the screams from who I assume to be her mother don't look like they're helping her nerves

"Choke up on the bar Miranda!" Craig shouts encouragingly, probably seeing her nervousness.

"Yeah Miranda! Square up!" Amanda shouts as well, looking very interested in the game all of a sudden.

"How much do you actually know about softball?" She's never seemed interested in sports before. And after her softball experience, I didn't think she'd actually like being here.

"Enough to know that the balls are relatively hard, despite their highly misleading name. But I get to yell, and yelling's pretty fun. You should give it a shot; it's cathartic."

I look down at Miranda, whose still really nervous even though the ball hasn't been thrown yet. I feel bad for her, seeing a little bit of Amanda when she was little. Her mother is probably putting a lot of pressure on her for this game. "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IMPRESSING ANYONE, WORRY ABOUT HAVING FUN!"

Amanda rolls her eyes. "Where was that encouragement when I used to play?"

"I was about to, but then you ran and hid. After that, there was no need."

We turn our attention to the game. Miranda seems to have calmed down and hit a really decent shot, and I like to think it was because of my helpful words of encouragement. After that, the game continues and I'm impressed. The team isn't ready for the major leagues or anything, but Craig's team has been trained really well. They encourage one another anytime someone goes up to bat and there's a lot of communication within the team. He's really good with kids, and the way the girls turn back to grin at him proves it.

Amanda is absolutely enraptured with the game, which I didn't expect. She has her camera out and has taken shots of certain hits and a few runs. Although, during a particularly hard hit, she puts her camera down for a moment. "It's amazing how hard they're hitting the ball and how no on has run off the field crying yet."

"Amanda, it was a long time ago. You've got to let go of that."

She gives me a confused look. "Let what go? I'm perfectly fine." Her camera comes back up as the opposing team comes up to bat. Someone hits a fly ball out into center field. There's a tiny little girl whose got that position, though she looks like she'd rather be closer in. She tries to get under the ball to catch it, but it misses her glove and hits her straight in the forehead. I hear Amanda clicking away up until the little girl gets hit. She drops her camera when the girl goes down and jumps to her feet, pointing wildly to the now crying girl. "YOU SEE THAT! SEE?! IT'S A COMPLETELY JUSTIFIABLE FEAR!"

"Amanda, she's probably just hurt-"

"I KNEW I WASN'T ALONE!"

Craig makes a beeline to the little girl, stopping the game and and scooping her up into his arms. He checks her forehead and comforts her up until her parents are located and begin to make their way to him. Craig carries the girl to her parents as the other girls watch after her in worry.

Wow...I mean, I knew Craig was different from college, and he definitely showed it taking care of me. But a long time ago, Craig would not be the guy to comfort a child; for the longest time, he was scared at the very thought of them. This was the guy who backflipped off a roof into a pool while shotgunning a beer. The guy who once dipped a burrito into ice cream so he could have dinner and dessert at the same time. And yet...he's really responsible now and has  _three_ kids.

The game resumes after the girl has calmed down, who thanks Craig for helping her. Once that is settled and she returns to the field, we watch a couple more innings. Craig's team is  _crushing_ the other team in the 9th inning, to the point where the other team has just given up. One outfielder is eating grass, and another has just thrown down her hat. 

A batter on the other team knocks a foul ball into the stands, and ow, what a hit! It soars into the air and arcs, the trajectory leading it...right towards me!

Oh crap! I don't feel 100% and I know my reflexes are a little slow. I think I hear Craig scream for me to move, but I don't think I'd be able to move in time. I settle for shutting my eyes, about to get hit in the forehead.

...

Stunned silence and lack of pain makes me open my eyes. Amanda is holding the softball torn between looking amazed that she caught it and slightly terrified that she actually stood up to catch the ball. She settles for amazement and holds the ball up triumphantly. "I-I caught the ball!"

"You saved me," I breathed. "Amanda you-"

"I CAUGHT THE BALL!"

I smile along with her. "You did it!" 

She pumps her fist into the air. "I face my fears! I defeated the softball! I can do anything!"

"Even parallel parking!"

Amanda rolls her eyes and tosses me the ball. "One fear at a time Pops. Let me bask in this."

I give her a hug, both of us happy in this tender moment. I can tell no one else knows why we're like this, but it doesn't matter. Amanda is happy and I'm happy. "I'm really proud Manda."

The game ends soon after that, with Craig's team declared the winners. I'm not surprised that they won; they had more coordination that I've ever seen in a team of little kids. And they have really good sportsmanship, eagerly lining up to shake hands. At least, our team has good sportsmanship. The other girls look disheartened at their loss.

"Great job everyone!" And I see they get their sportsmanship from Craig, who shakes hands with the other coach and even gives tips to the other team.

Amanda and I make our way over to congratulate Craig, who's talking with some of the parents. We patiently wait behind a few of the parents, though some of them are really interested in Craig. Like, really interested.

We're able to get to Craig's side and hear some of the moms flirting with Craig. 

"...can't thank you enough for those extra lessons you gave Brittany. She's done so well as a shortstop!"

"And that technique for Tiffany's batting worked wonders! The girls are so lucky to have you as a coach!"

Craig is trying to deflect them politely, but it isn't working. One of them has the gall to trail her too-sharp nails down his arm and the other presses her boobs into him like that's supposed to be attractive. It's downright disgusting how they're trying to get his attention.

I can see Craig looking for an out and make my way a little closer. Once he sees me, he smiles a true smile and dislodges himself from the moms, moving me so that I'm standing beside him. He wraps an arm around my waist, pretending not to notice one of the moms go pale and the other go red. "There you are bro! How;d you like the game?"

I don't protest the arm around my waist and Amanda doesn't seem to mind that Craig is holding me. "You do good work! The game was great! Those girls were really good out there!"

The other moms walk away, seeing that Craig's attention is wholly on me now. Craig still doesn't care, probably glad that they're gone. "Thanks! We've been working hard all season and it's great to see it paying off. I'm so proud of all my girls. And speaking of which, have you met Briar and Hazel?"

A pair of twins smile at me, bright smiles highly reminiscent of Craig's smile. They're both a little sweaty and dirty, but they look really happy with the events of the game. "Hello!"

"Nice to meet you two! And killer playing out there!" I remember the two of them in particular, always stealing bases and catch balls that no one else seemed to be able to get.

"Yeah!" Amanda agrees. "You guys rule!"

"Thank you!"

See, when they talk in unison, it's cute. When Joseph's kids did it, it was really creepy.

Amanda scrutinizes both Briar and Hazel. "You guys are twins huh? Which one is the evil one?"

Of course she'd ask that.

"Hazel," The one on the left says immediately. Okay, so she's Briar, the nice twin.

Hazel looks like she wants to protest, but she instead shrugs. "Yeah, it's me."

Amanda laughs and fist bumps them both. "Good to know. Hey, so do you guys ever pretend to be each other? I don't have a twin, but I think if I did, I'd be doing that constantly."

The twins nod. "Yeah," Briar says. "I take all of her math tests."

"And I usually throw rocks at stuff and when people get mad I tell them I'm Briar," Hazel adds happily.

Briar's expression drops. "Wait, what?"

Oh yeah, Hazel is definitely the evil one.

Craig looks between them and sighs. "We...we'll talk about this later." 

I can't help but laugh. That's definitely something Amanda and her twin would do. I'd never catch a break. Heck, if I had twins now, I would hope they'd both be good. If they were both evil and Amanda was with them, they'd get into all kinds of mischief I'd have to clean up after.

"Danny, bro, I've got a couple things to clean up before we can leave. Are you hungry? Do you want to go and eat?"

I open my mouth to respond, but some strawberry blonde moms decides to interrupt. "Not so fast; we have to celebrate our win Craig! I'm taking the whole team out for pizza!"

Briar and Hazel cheer, along with River, but I think that's just because her sisters are cheering. The only one who doesn't look too happy about it is Craig, who looks unsure more than anything. "Oh...I don't know if I can."

The mom waves it off, not caring that. "Nonsense! The girls won! What sort of celebration could we have without our fearless leader?" She lays her hand on his shoulder and give him goo goo eyes. Wow, can she be anymore obvious? I thought all the jokes about the soccer moms were bad but no one knew how bad softball moms were.

Craig gently removes her hand and scoots closer to me. Hah! Take that softball mom! "Alright, I concede. Is is cool if my bro comes along?"

She glances down at his arm  _still_ around me and opens her mouth, but than a strange look comes over her face and she smiles at me, but it lacks the warmth that she showed Craig. "Why  _of course._ Why haven't we seen him around?"

Craig's arm tightens almost imperceptibly. "Danny just moved here. I asked him to come out and watch the game."

"Does he need someone to show him how things work?" She directs a smile at me that doesn't reach her eyes and also looks pasted on. Then again, she's probably trying really hard to get into Craig's good graces, so faking nice with me is probably her best bet. If she even had a chance.

"Where are we going?" Amanda asks, not-so-subtly glaring at this woman. "Thirsty's Pizza?"

"Excuse me?!"

"What? It's a real place!"

* * *

What seems like a truly endless stream of girls clad in softball gear pile out of a minivan and into Thirsty's Pizza, an actual place. I shouldn't have been surprised that Amanda knew it was real; she somehow knew the best places to eat no matter where we went.

Craig, Amanda and I trail behind them, four different moms crowding around him asking questions and complimenting him. Craig is steering the topic away from his 'bulging muscles' and 'toned physique' and other nonsense the moms are trying to say to get his attention. Instead, he's happier talking the training the twins did for the game and how they go for runs together all the time and the pranks Hazel plays in school. Amanda is happy to talk about that, giving Hazel some better pranks to play in school. The moms have all left at this point, unsatisfied with Craig's lack of attention on them.

"Man, the greasy smell in here reminds me of all the awful pizza we put into our bodies back in the day," I say as we take a seat at a lone table. The rest of the girls cram into a booth and argue over which pizza to get.

"Remember how we used to just fold whole pies in half and the put taco filling inside?"

"Ah pizzacos. I could never forget." Actually, the thought of those monstrosities is making my stomach turn. I still can't believe we never died from how much crap we use to eat.

Amanda raises an eyebrow. "Pizzacos?"

"To this day, I'm shocked we survived college with only two hospital trips." For broken bones of all things.

"Our bodies were younger back then. More elastic. More able to handle the toxic waste we put inside of us."

We share a laugh over the memories. And neither of us have health problems presently. At least, I doubt that Craig has any health problems. I still have that high blood pressure to watch out for.

Kids run all over the place, playing arcade games and eating greasy food. Amanda chows down on some very greasy looking slices of pizza while I munch of some of the snacks we brought, seeing as Amanda and Craig refused to even let me think about eating anything in here. Craig munches on a very sad looking salad, which only consists of a few pieces of lettuce and a tomato piece. He glances over at my Amanda's plate and grins. "Hey, gimme a pizza that."

Amanda groans. "NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT." 

Even River looks like she hates Dad jokes.

"I'm just kidding. I'm sticking strictly to salad."

I nudge her. "Thanks for a-dressing the issue, Amanda."

"DAD!" River blows a raspberry in agreement, making a face, as if she's already tired of Dad jokes and she's not even a year old.

A different mom sits down with us, chatting up Craig as if we weren't sitting with him. She even leans across the table with her chest out like that doesn't make her look even trashier. "Craig, thank you so much for looking after our kids. My daughter tells me everyday about how great you are."

Craig looks uncomfortable and focuses strictly on her face. "Oh, I'm happy to look after them. Definitely helps that I have kids of my own."

She smiles down at River, reaching out to try and play with her. River whines and tries to curl into a ball. The woman looks put out, but instead smiles sadly at Craig. "It's been so hard since Daniel left. I'm glad to know that my children have a...strong male role model in their lives."

I'm not really surprised that Craig gets so much attention. He's very attractive, friendly, and he gives off such a strong scent. Any beta or omega would love him. Throw in how good he is with kids, and you have a bunch of parents who'd want him too.

Craig smiles sheepishly. "Thank you so much dude." He holds up his fist for a fist bump in an attempt to lighten the conversation. Wow, he looks really uncomfortable right now. I should help him out.

Before I can think up a diversion, River gives a little burp and whines. Craig looks like he's about to check on her, but she suddenly spews vomit all over the woman's chest.

"River!" Craig unstraps her and wipes her mouth with a napkin, checking to make sure it's not too bad. River giggles and waves her arms around, clearly just having an upset stomach.

Or wanting to protect her Dad.

"Good job River," I whisper quietly.

Amanda tosses a slightly soggy napkin at the woman, who frantically tries to wipe herself off. She tries as best as she can to look presentable and smiles at Craig again, though it's incredibly forced. "So, I'm taking Hazel and Briar tonight for the sleepover?"

"Yup,and they're pretty excited about it," Craig answers, still checking on River. "You'll keep them out of trouble, right?"

She waves him off. "Oh of course! But, I could always use help watching after everyone tonight. If you're not doing anything."

Wow. WOW. Lay it on even thicker why don't you? Fucking bitch, he's mine.

...where did that come from?

Craig shakes his head. "It'll actually be nice to have a night to myself and River. But thanks for the invite." He looks past her to the arcade games. "Martha, you might want to grab your child. She's stuffing pizza into a coin slot."

Martha angrily turns her attention to her daughter. "TIFFANY! NOT ANOTHER ARCADE MACHINE! I SWEAR IF WE HAVE TO BUY IT-" she stomps over to where her kid is, fuming over how much money that must be.

"Wow...she's...nice..." Nice is one way to put it. I have some choice words about her, but we're around children and I can't say any of them.

"She can be. When she's not flirting with me." 

"You noticed?" I knew he couldn't have been that blind to what she was doing.

"She's not very subtle." He picks at his salad now, rolling around the piece of tomato. "She started hitting on me as soon as I started coaching. Didn't matter that she's married, though they're separated now. But she'll use anything as an excuse to get close to me."

"Thirsty much?" Amanda mutters, but we both hear her and start laughing.

Briar and Hazel run up to Craig, gripping his arms and pulling him out of his seat. "Dad, can you help us beat our record on DDR?" Briar asks.

"We told Ariana's dad that you could destroy him on the dance mat. Please help," Hazel glares over a a redhead girl standing beside a lanky man warming up by the machine.

"Girls, you know I don't have my jukes anymore." He looks over at me apologetically, like he knows he can't get out of this.

"But Daaaaaad..." Briar fires up the puppy eyes, Hazel adding in a lip quiver. Man, they are both good at that. Even I want to get up and go destroy Ariana's dad, but I'm in no condition to do so.

I wave him off before he can say anything. "It's all good. Go destroy him."

Craig gives me a smile and runs over with his daughters to the machine, leaving me with Amanda.

"Wow Pops. Jealous much?"

Amanda's statement makes me blush. "W-What?"

"I see everything. The arm around the waist, all the old memories, how jealous you got when Martha was flirting with him, how angry you were when the moms kept touching him; it seems like you really like him."

"Craig and I look out for each other, even against thirsty softball moms." Even as I say it, the excuse seems really half-assed, and Amanda can see it too. "He's just...too nice sometimes, y'know? He wouldn't really let any of them down." I look over to where he's effortlessly tearing it up on DDR. I can see the muscles of his back move beneath his shirt, well-defined legs stepping on each pad like it's nothing. He hasn't even broken a sweat yet, face relaxed and carefree as he danced away, utterly wiping the floor with Ariana's dad. I'm so entranced by his movements that I don't notice Amanda trying to get my attention until she waves her hand in front of my face and draws me back to the conversation at hand.

"See? There's something deeper there! And you can't say it's just because of the baby."

"Craig is just...I'm amazed at how different he is now." I force myself to focus on her instead of him. "Amanda, if you saw us then and now, you'd be amazed too."

Before I can elaborate more, one of the moms from earlier, I think her name was Janet, comes up and sits in front of me. "So you're a friend of Craig's aren't you?" She looks me up and down, like she can't believe that he would even hang out with someone like me.

Man, move over soccer moms. Thirsty softball moms are total bitches!

...okay, maybe I should calm down. "Yeah. Craig and I are close."

"Interesting." She looks over at Craig and licks her lips. "Do you know if he's like...available?"

"Why do you want to know?" I ask rudely.

"Excuse me?" She snaps her attention back to me and looks taken aback. "What did you say?"

"Why. Do you want. To Know?" I ask again, making sure to punctuate each word. What, were softball moms that stupid?

"Why do you think? Craig is the only hot, single Dad here that everyone wants. And since I'm closest to him and the best match, I want him. It's as simple as that."

"Craig isn't interested in someone like you," I say with as much politeness as I could muster. Which was admittedly, not a lot.

She snorts. "And what? Is he interested in someone like you?"

"Well, I'm the realest thing out of the two of us. I mean, how much did your implants cost?"

"Implants! How dare you?!"

"Well," Amanda chimes in. "A barbie doll doesn't have as much plastic in it as you do." She holds up her fist for a fist bump, which I happily give her.

Janet turns red. "I'll have you know that  _nothing_ on me is fake."

"Could've fooled me." I give her a shrug. She even gave off that shiny reflection like a doll did, only now there was a red spot like someone drew on her with a crayon.

"Listen! I don't know where you get off talking to me like that, but you've got a lot of nerve-"

Craig chooses that moment to gently grab my arm and help me to stand. "You okay?"

"We're fine," Janet says, flirty smile on her face. Of course she acted like she wasn't a total bitch when Craig came around.  "We were just having a nice little chat-"

"How's the baby? We've got an opening, but we'd have to leave right now if you want to go home. If not, we're stuck for the rest of the night."

There's stunned silence from Janet as she tries to process this while I just shake my head, trying to hold back a laugh. "No, we're fine." I resist the urge to shoot a smug look to Janet, whose gone from shock to anger. Blotchy red marks appear on her cheeks as she begins huffing, like she's trying to regain control. Then, there's a really shrill noise coming from her that grows in intensity until she's outright screeching at us. Craig stands in front of me, just in case Janet decides to attack, while a few passerbys slow down and wonder what's going on. But Janet is just screechin and turning redder by the second, and just in case she's about to explode, Craig, Amanda and I take this moment to get out of there.

* * *

Amanda drives home ahead of Craig and I while we take some time to just talk. It's a lot of reminiscing about the past and all the crazy stuff we used to get into, and we talk a little about the twins growing up. He hasn't exactly breached the subject of the baby I'm having yet, but he assures me that he's going to tell them soon. I try to get him not to worry about it, even though he brings up a good point; the rest of the Alphas are going to have to tell their kids about the baby, even though a few of them are already suspicious. Hugo tells me that Ernest has been asking a lot more questions about why Hugo is so concerned with me, and last I saw Lucien, he was eyeing me weirdly. Carmensita complained to me that Mat has ruined memes for her in his quest to make my day brighter. Daisy is unaware that anything is going on, spending a lot of time with Amanda and playing pretend. Still, Craig wants to be honest with the girls and he swears that he's going to tell them when I get a little further along.

We pull up to the house a little sooner than I had expected. Amanda is already inside, the porch light and living room light on. Craig and I lean against the side of his car to keep an eye on River and to have a little more time to ourselves. Craig wraps his arm around my shoulder and I lean into him, just like old times. We don't say anything for long moments, simply staring up at the moon in comfortable silence.

"Sorry about...well...some of the moms," Craig says nervously, breaking the silence. "There are some of them who are really nice, and some like...Janet. Trust me, Martha might be bad, but Janet is a lot more persistent than Martha, which says enough. I hope she didn't stress you out with...everything she did."

"For a moment, I thought you didn't even notice." I laugh it off before he gets too worried. "I was fine. It'll take more than a softball mom with extreme thirst to stress me out, though her perfume was making me sick. Combine that with the greasy smell from the pizza and I almost spit up like River did."

Craig chuckles, handing me my backpack from off the car. "Still, did you at least have fun at the game?"

"Definitely. I'd love to go to a couple more and see the twins play." Which was true. I also wanted to get to know them better, so starting with something they loved was a good start. "They looked like they were having fun."

"Yeah. They did. And even if we didn't get to spend as much time together, I had fun too." Craig smiles sheepishly, pulling me a little bit closer to him. "Goodnight bro." Craig leans down and presses a light kiss to my cheek, gently squeezing my shoulder. I feel color start to rise to my cheeks at the action, not sure why I'm suddenly blushing like I'm fourteen again. Regardless, I lean up slightly and press a kiss of my own to his cheek. Craig's blush is definitely more noticeable than mine, but there's still a smile on his face.

"Goodnight Craig."

* * *

The next morning is a little difficult for me. As soon as my feet hit the floor, I had to rush to the bathroom to throw up. I spent most of the morning hunched over the toilet bowl, spewing out what felt like every single thing I had consumed the night before. It was horrible, but I made some ginger tea and had toast for breakfast and was alright since then. Now I’m in the living room watching TV and doing more planning. In the past two months, with help from Mat, I’ve gotten a lot more figured out with my bakery. I’ve got a couple of visits to make and a couple people to meet with, and then I can move onto some final stages and maybe open shop. It's still going to be a long process, but now that I have some help, it seems like it's going easier.

While I'm watching TV, I can't help but smile at the messages on my phone. Every morning, all of the Alphas send me a sweet message to start the day, and Mat has a bad habit of sending me a meme every morning that makes me laugh. They're usually older memes, but I like them better than the ones Amanda shows me.

She'd take offense to that if I ever told her.

Still, I write out all the replies that I need to: I'm alright I just had a bit of morning sickness, yes I took my vitamins this morning, no I don't have to go out for anything, and yes I'm taking it easy. After that, I make sure to tell all of them to have a good day at work and not to worry too much about me. I know for a fact that they tend to worry about me when they're not around to watch over me, so I know they're probably not even focusing right now.

I'm about to go back to watching TV when I see that Hugo's still typing. While his messages weren't on the longer side, since that privilege alone belonged to Damien, I knew he took a bit of time since he couldn't exactly type the way he wanted because of school. I normally get a good morning message from him around noon because that's the only time he's really free. This must be important if he's cutting into his teaching time to text me. Or maybe he's giving a test to his students so that he could have some quiet time. 

**_Hey Danny, the school is screening a movie on the grass tonight and I wanted to know if you'd like to come._ **

_will it be animated?_

**_Probably. We have to keep it PG. School rules_ **

_i'm a sucker for animated movies. i'll be there._

**_Great! I'll see you tonight at six._ **

A movie actually sounded nice. I didn't go out to the movies very often there was never anything particularly interesting I wanted to see, and trying to go to an animated move tailored more towards kids when you were older than ten usually got you strange looks, so seeing one would be pleasant. And a movie on the grass sounded even better. So there were some plans for the evening, even if Amanda didn't want to go. But she probably would seeing as though she didn't really leave my side. Maybe if her friends went she could hang out with them instead of hanging around me; I don't know how long it's been since she'd seen one of the Emmas. I think the last time was when I went out to the bar, and that was two months ago.

The bar...Robert...

I don't know how often he checks Dadbook, but that was the one place he hadn't blocked me, so I took advantage of it and messaged him every couple of days, just to let him know how the baby and I were doing. I have no idea if he read them or not, but I like to imagine that he does and just doesn't reply to them. I still want to try...something with him. Damien assured me that Robert was a good guy, but he wouldn't tell me more than that. That was Robert's duty and somehow, Damien knew that he would come around. Still, I would message him every couple of days and tell him how the baby and I were doing, just in case he was curious; it still might be his baby and he does have a right to know.

I still don't get any messages from Joseph, and I haven't updated him on anything either. I saw him again the other day, and while he kept sneaking glances at my stomach, he still didn't ask about the baby. But the again, he was with his kids, so I guess he didn't want to say anything in front of them that they might repeat to their mother. Other than how awkward Joseph was, the kids were livelier; Christie had somehow made Christen jealous by telling him that she got to make 'red cake' brownies and we were making them again, and Christen was mad because he loved 'red cake' too. Now they both wanted red velvet brownies and I still didn't have the heart to say no. Joseph cut the conversation right there, assuring the kids that they could bake with me one day. Though he left when that day would come really vague. After that, he was quick to usher them away from me and get out of there. I guess he  _still_ hasn't told Mary, else I'd have already had an issue.

If this baby turns out to be one of theirs, that'll be a different issue entirely.

* * *

5:45 rolls around and I get up to get ready. Amanda is going to go as well, and she's going to hang out with her friends. She was alright with me going as long as I hang out with one of the Alphas. I would mainly be with Hugo anyways, so I told her not to worry too much about me. But I made sure my phone was charged and that hers was as well so that we could keep in touch.

The movie wasn't as 'on the grass' as I thought it would be; it was actually going to be held on the football field, but people could choose to sit on the field itself with blankets or on the bleachers. A concession stand was open where three teenagers were selling popcorn, nachos, soda, hotdogs, and a bunch of candy for people to enjoy. A few teachers were on the grass with what I assume are their families, while teenagers mill around with each other, already loaded down with snacks and drinks. A couple of kids are with their families, setting up large blankets and kicking off their shoes to recline back. Some of them have lawnchairs set up, while some are in the bed of pick-up trucks, getting comfortable as they wait for the movie. Some of the students even have younger siblings with them, keeping a close eye out and making sure they don't run off and get lost in the sea of people gathered here. Which, was a lot more than I thought it would be. I wouldn't have expected so many people to show up to a kid's movie, but I guess it was better than staying home.

Amanda spots Hugo near the top of the home section bleachers, sitting with his son, Damien, and Lucien. Ernest is without a cigarette and has his headphones on while Lucien does the same, looking everything but excited for this movie. Hugo and Damien are engaged in a light conversation, though they both halt when Amanda and I make our way over to them.

"Evening Danny," Hugo greets, taking my hand and helping me up the last bleacher. "How was your day today?"

"The morning was a bit rough, but I'm better now." I felt even better after I took a nap earlier. I woke up a bit groggy of course, but I drank a smoothie and felt much better. I was able to keep food down the rest of the day and managed to do a little cleaning around the house before we came out here.

Lucien moves down a row so that I can sit beside Damien, while Ernest slides over a seat so that Hugo can sit on my other side. Amanda hands me the backpack filled with snacks and takes out a water bottle before going off to find her friends.

"You said you had a rough morning?" Damien asks once we're all rearranged. "What happened?"

"Just some morning sickness. I rolled out of bed and immediately had to go throw up. Every time I wanted to get up, I felt even sicker and just ended up in the bathroom the whole morning. And before either of you say anything, yes I took my vitamins and I ate today," I say, seeing both of them open their mouths to ask the inevitable question. Hugo chuckles nervously while Damien turns a bit red in the face. 

"What movie are we watching? You still neglected to tell me." I shift around just a bit to get comfortable on the cold metal bench. My jeans are on the thin side so I can feel the cold seeping into my skin. It takes everything in me to hold back a shiver; if it seemed like I was cold, the two of them would fly into a frenzy and do everything they could to make sure I was warm. "Is it Mulan? Because I love Mulan. I can quote that movie scene for scene." 

Both Hugo and Damien laugh, Hugo shaking his head. "Unfortunately no. We're actually watching Frozen."

"Ugggh," I groan, dramatically throwing my arms up. "Can that movie die already? It's been on TV like, every week. And I would know; I have nothing to do in the daytime and there's nothing good on TV, so I had to resort to cartoons." And the only reason I watched Frozen so many times was because the cartoons they showed today had some very adult themes I would not want any child to see. I might have to monitor what the baby watches while they grow up...

The two Alphas laugh again. "It's not that bad," Hugo says once his chuckles subside. "It's a decent movie if you-"

"It needs to die Hugo."

"But it is an interesting spin on a classic tale," Damien says. "I think we've read The Snow Queen together. Frozen is a...kind of re-telling of that story. How love can melt a frozen heart."

I do remember that story. We read it to the baby all the time. And probably the only story Damien can read that I never fall asleep for. "...that doesn't make Frozen any better for me." That did make it a bit more interesting, but not enough to where I'll tolerate hearing Let It Go.

After another couple of minutes, the movie begins, and a hush falls across the entire field. There are a couple of cheers from a group of teenagers and almost all of the kids that showed up have already started singing. I can also hear Damien quietly humming and figured that with Damien's love of The Snow Queen, it made sense that he liked Frozen. His voice isn't half bad and it makes the movie a bit more bearable.

Hugo isn't paying much attention to it, grading a stack of papers and only glancing up every once in a while to see what was on the screen. Grading papers during a movie? I don't think so. He's completely surprised when I snatch his pen from him and throw it as hard as I can over the side. I'm hoping that doesn't hit anyone and ruin their night. Because that would suck.

"No grading tonight Hugo," I whisper. "Just relax."

Hugo looks like he wants to protest, but he smiles at me and sets his papers to the side, also trying to find a better position on the metal. "Fine. The kids can get their tests back another day."

Good. They probably won't care either way.

The movie continues, and the children react to the movie most, booing when the bad guy makes an appearance, singing along to the songs, cheering when certain characters came on screen, and just genuinely enjoying the movie even though it appears that they've probably seen it a million time. It makes me think of the baby having a favorite movie, particularly a Disney one: I was crazy about Mulan and Amanda loved Atlantis, I couldn't help but wonder if they baby would also love a Disney movie. If they would want to watch it thousands of times even though they'd seen it before, or if the would sing the songs as loud as they could whenever they wanted, or if they would be me (or Amanda, who was already wrapped around the baby's finger) to buy them clothes and watches and other trinkets inspired by that movie. 

Like I've done many times before, my hand goes to my stomach and I can't help but think about the future with my little one.

* * *

I hadn't even realized that I drifted off until I feel a little stirring in my stomach and feel a pain in my neck that definitely wasn't there before. I try to move a little only to realize that I can't. The pain I feel comes from me leaning on Hugo's shoulder, who is still focused on the movie. His arm is around my shoulder, keeping my securely against him. But the real reason that I can't move is because Damien is resting his head on my lap, stretched out on the bleacher. One of his arms is around my waist while the other is tucked under his head. I've no idea when this happened, but other than my neck, I'm actually very comfortable.  Well, there's the matter of hunger, but I don't want to disturb our position. 

Hugo casts a glance down at me and gives me a smile. "You feel asleep on me and I didn't have the heart to move you. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, but can you get something from my backpack? I have a container of cookies and I need something sweet." This baby is going to have a wicked sweet tooth by the look of it. All they want is something sweet, except for the few times I crave spinach. "It should be on the top." 

Hugo has to maneuver a bit awkwardly with only one hand, but he manages to snag the container of cookies from my bag and passes them over to me. I open the container as quietly as I possibly could and take out two cookies, biting into both of them at once. Hugo shakes his head at me, but sneaks one for himself. I have no idea how long it's been, but judging by the little rock monsters dancing and singing, we must be nearing the end. At least, I hope we are. I don't want to up and leave, but I've also seen this movie so many times that it'll haunt my nightmares. If Joseph's kids ever decide to quote this, I'd really be in for trouble.

The movie continues on, with Hugo and I munching on cookies. It looks like I wasn't the only one who fell asleep during the movie: Lucien is stretched across the bench he's on and the one above him, gently snoring away, while Ernest has his head thrown back, snoring a bit louder than I would've thought. I can see a couple of teenagers on their phones rather than talking, while a few adults look like they're having conversations among themselves instead of watching the move. Only the younger kids that were brought along seem to be wide away for the rest of this movie, shouting in anger when the villain comes on screen and crying when the princess is left to die in the room. Other than that, no one seems to be paying attention.

Damien mumbles a bit from his position in my lap and moves a little, but then goes still. A stray lock of his hair has fallen into his face, which I tuck behind his ear so I don't bother him. He smiles a little in his sleep and makes a small noise, then falls quiet again. Hugo's hand has begun rubbing my shoulder again and before I know it, I drift off once more.

* * *

"Danny, wake up."

Nooo. I don't want to. I'm so comfortable.

"Danny." I hear a chuckle. "The movie is over. You won't sleep well tonight if you don't get up."

I slowly shake myself awake and move to sit up. There's a really bad pain in my neck that makes me regret falling asleep the way I did, but it felt so nice at first. Hugo was really warm and Damien was almost like a pet.

"What time is it?" I ask. It's much darker out now, a bunch of people down on the field still laying on their blankets and in their cars and unwilling to move. Some of the kids are still up and trying to wake their siblings and parents up, while other kids are still singing songs from the movie.

"Around 8:30," Hugo answers. "The movie ended a while ago, but the credits were still rolling and no one moved at first. Not even any of the teenagers wanted to get up. I think most of them are asleep." His arm is still around my shoulders, and he doesn't seem too inclined to move it. Not that I'mm complaining.

I try to find Amanda in the crowd and can't see her, but she's probably still hanging out with her friends; she can spend a little more time with them since it's been a while. She'll probably text me when she's ready to go.

I sit up straight and stretch my stiff muscles while I look around. Damien is massaging Lucien's neck, which probably hurts more than mine due to how he was sleeping. He looks groggy, probably from having just woken up, but it looks like he might be falling asleep again as his eyes droop. Ernest is rubbing his back due to the awkward position he fell asleep in. And Hugo looks like he's the only one who stayed up through the entire movie. 

"Sorry I took over your shoulder. And threw your pen." I could have just kept it away from him instead of chucking it down the bleachers. What if I hit someone?

Hugo shakes his head. "I can grade later. Besides, I had more pen on me, but I didn't say anything because I didn't want you to throw them."

Yeah, I might've thrown them too. "It's a movie night Hugo, and it was too dark for you to be grading anyways. Besides, you do too much work for students who barely appreciate it." I've seen the work students submitted for myself and I knew first-hand how bad it was. 

"There are a couple of bad apples yes, but that comes with all students. I still enjoy it, even with the difficult moments." There's something fond in his eye that I can't read, but it seems like Hugo really does enjoy teaching and everything that comes from it. He was probably right; maybe I'd only seen the bad and made a very biased judgement.

Damien comes back over with Lucien in tow, who looks much more awake than from before. "Danny, I must apologize for...taking over your lap the way I did. It was rude of me."

"Don't worry about it Damien." It wasn't a big deal to me. I kinda took over Hugo during the movie, so I didn't mind Damien taking over my lap. Almost like a cat would. "You were probably tired. And my lap was probably better than laying on these seats."

There's red on Damien's cheeks though his smile is relieved. "True. It was...better."

Cute.

Damien clears his throat and straightens his shoulders. "Well, it is getting rather late. Lucien and I should return home. He has school tomorrow and it is very abominable to show up to any event late. The Victorians actually-"

"Dad," Lucien groans. "Can you not?"

No, I kinda wanted to know. Being with Damien had taught me a lot about the Victorian era, and gave me a chance to practice a couple of dessert recipes that Victorians were fond of. It was mainly puddings and tarts, along with a couple of cakes sprinkled in here and there. I found out that Lucien had a huge sweet tooth that he wouldn't admit to; most of the sweets I brought to Damien's house got eaten by Lucien. 

"I'll check on you tomorrow Danny," Damien says, taking my hand in his. "Have a good night." He lifts my hand to place a kiss on the back of it. Ernest makes gagging noises and Lucien makes an almost fond face. Then Damien rises again and he and Lucien make their way down the bleachers. I have no idea how a man could look graceful while he's climbing down bleachers, but Damien manages to make it work.

"I probably need to get up as well," Hugo says once we can't see Damien anymore. "I got stuck with cleaning duty tonight and if I want to leave before midnight, I should get started now."

"I should probably head home too. Amanda has school tomorrow and I'm trying to keep up a regular sleep schedule. All the naps today probably messed me up enough as it is." I was likely going to be up all night. Looks like I'd have to find something to binge watch tonight.

Hugo helps me to my feet, keeping a hand on me when I stumble. I can't feel my butt of my legs from sitting on the bleachers for so long, so I don't have my balance at first. Hugo keeps his arm around me while I try to get my balance back, which takes longer than I thought it would. When I'm finally stable, Hugo is hesitant to let my hand go. 

"I'll see you this weekend Danny. Goodnight." He presses a kiss against my forehead, which sends Ernest into a bout of protests and gags.

"Yeah. This weekend. Goodnight Hugo." 

* * *

Amanda is strangely quiet when she comes in from school today. Normally, she's firing off questions as soon as she walks in the door. Today however, she only puts her things away and goes into the kitchen. 

"Dad...can I talk to you?"

Uh oh. That doesn't sound good. The last time Amanda sounded like that was with that whole 'lying' situation. I don't know what made her this upset, but it definitely didn't sit well with me.

"Sure Panda. What's the matter?"

Amanda sits beside me on the couch and immediately hugs me, burying her face into my shoulder. I feel a wet spot start to appear and throw my arms around her. Someone made my baby cry.

Amanda is inconsolable at first, shoulders shaking and sobs leaving her, but after a few minutes of me holding her and rubbing her back, she sits up and wipes her eyes. She doesn't move from my side when she gets up, wrapping her arms around me once her eyes are somewhat dry. "I just...why is being an Alpha so bad?"

"Honey..." I knew Amanda was frustrated with her nature, but she's never gotten this upset to the point where she cried. "What happened?

"I was hanging out with my friends a couple of weeks ago, and we were all at the mall hanging out when Emma P wants to go see this movie, but we didn't really want to see it and because she's the youngest, she had to have someone who was at least eighteen with her so she could get in. Then Emma R told me to use my 'Alpha Influence' to bully the ticket guy into letting her in. And I told her that I wasn't going to, because that's wrong." She wipes her eyes. "Then Emma P said that I do it literally all the time. That I use my nature to get them to do things I wanna do instead of what the group wants to do. Which was totally untrue! I never force them to do anything!

Then the Emmas start ganging up on me about how I'm the Alpha so I always lead the group and we do what I say we do, and then the entire groups gangs up on me about it. And we're in the mall, so they're causing a scene. I got so embarrassed and angry that I saw red and started yelling. When I finally stopped, Emma R had her phone out and was recording the whole thing, while everyone else was talking about how 'the Alpha was mad she didn't get her way' and to 'do what she says before she forces you to'." A few more tears leak from her eyes. "We've hung out since then, but every now and then, she'll show that video to people at school and now all the Alphas have reputations. She thinks its a fucking joke, but people are really scared of me!" Finally, Amanda collapses into my side again and cries again.

I couldn't believe it. Amanda and the Emmas have been friends for years now, so for them to suddenly turn on her was...I couldn't believe it. "Amanda, those people are not your friends."

Amanda sniffs. "But I've known them forever and-"

"Real friends wouldn't do that to you. They wouldn't joke about using your nature over anyone, and they wouldn't push you like that." Friends joke around a lot yes, but real friends would never dare hurt you that way. "If they make jokes that are more hurtful than anything then don't consider your feelings, you don't need them." I've had friends hurt me before. It was the worst feeling. People who you thought you knew who ended up lying to you or making fun of you were the absolute worst. Friends who tried to gain leverage over you by using your nature where the worst beings in existence. "I don't care how long you've known them; they're showing who they really are, and they aren't people you should be around."

There's a pause where Amanda tries to get her composure together. She swipes some tissues off the coffee table and wipes her eyes and nose. I don't say anything, just rub her back while she thinks about what I said. From beside her, her phone starts buzzing, but she doesn't even spare it a glance. She takes a few deep breaths and sighs, leaving back against the couch. "I...I don't just want to throw our friendship away. I mean, especially Emma R...we've been through everything together."

"I don't mean to be harsh, but it doesn't sound like she values your friendship as much as you do. I mean, she took a video of you after making you snap. And she's been showing you. A real friend would've told everyone to leave you alone and tried to calm you down. She took a  _video_ like it was funny." Amanda deserved better friends than that. "She sounds like the worst one of them all."

Amanda doesn't respond, though she takes a glance at her phone. There's a message from a couple of different people, though Emma, or the Emmas, have sent her the most messages. She doesn't say anything, though every time a new message pops up, I see a subtle flinch.

I am not letting Amanda go through this anymore. I take Amanda's phone and shut it off, stuffing it into my pocket. Amanda doesn't look too upset with me taking her phone, 

"You're not getting this phone back until tomorrow morning. We're gonna go out and have fun and you aren't going to worry about your asshole friends anymore." It still stuns me that her friends would do that to her. Amanda spoke very highly of the Emmas and her group of friends that I thought they were better than that. I guess their true colors were really showing and Amanda finally saw who they really were.

"Where are we going?" Amanda asks. "To the mall?"

"Nope. Too high of a chance to see them there. We're going over to the park to take pictures. That always relaxes you, right?" I haven't been able to take her down that trail Craig and I ran, and I know she'd love to take pictures of it. It'd be the perfect way for her to relax. "We can even have a picnic out if you want."

"Really?" Amanda's eyes light up. "You mean it?"

I remember Amanda loved picnics. Though she preferred being indoors, the only thing that would get her outside other than taking pictures was picnics. We used to go out for picnics all the time when she was younger, where she and Alex would always watch the clouds and point out what shapes they could make. Amanda had an active imagination and always found animals and objects that Alex and I couldn't see, but we'd indulge her because it made her happy. I know this would cheer her up. "Of course Panda. Let me make something for us to take and I'll show you a perfect spot. Didn't you fix that old camera."

"Yeah! The part came last week and it fits perfectly!" She sounds a lot more cheerful now that we're past all that drama her friends put her in. "I can take a bunch of cool black and white photos!"

"Perfect. Go wash up so you can help me."

"Alright. Be right back." Amanda grabs her bookbag from near the door and goes to put her stuff away. While she's busy, I pull out my phone and send a quick message to Brian.

_hey Brian. Amanda and I are going to have a picnic and I wanted to see if you and Daisy wanted to come with us. Amanda's been having a bit of a bad day and needs some cheering up. Can you meet us at the park?_

**_Daisy and I would love to come! we'll meet you down there in 20. sound good?_ **

_perfect._

Amanda comes back just as I pocket my phone. She's splashed some water on her face and changed out of her day clothes, and overall just looks better than she did when she came in from school. "What are we making?"

"I figured we could make wraps, maybe some chicken salad, take some chips, and I made brownies earlier today-"

"And brownies?! This is the best! You and Papa made them every time we went on a picnic."

Oh yeah. We'd always leave later than usual because Amanda would eat the batter and manage to get it all over her clothes, so we'd have to give her and bath and change her again. Those were good times. "And brownies. Let's get to work."

* * *

It takes a bit longer than expected to make all the food, but we manage to get everything together in the basket Alex and I made years ago. Amanda doesn't say anything about the amount of food we make, chalking it up to me eating for two. I didn't tell her that Brian and Daisy were tagging along with us just so I could surprise her; I wanted to make sure that she'd have a really nice time today. All she thinks we're doing is eating and taking photos.

We decide to walk to the park instead of driving. It's still really light out and nice enough to just enjoy a walk. Even if she said she was alright, Amanda still needs time to de-stress and forget about what happened, and a walk would do her some good. And she could try out her camera on the way there.

Amanda and I talk baby names while we walk, just to pass the time. It's mostly gender neutral names like Morgan, Adrian, Casey, and Dakota, but we have been thinking about names for individual genders as well. Amanda doesn't want the baby to have a 'lame' name so she's been throwing out some very interesting names and spelling suggestions. She also suggests things we absolutely cannot name the baby ("under no circumstance are we naming the baby Frank, Deborah, or anything like that Pops.") as we make our way to the park.

Brian texts me and lets me know that they're sitting a grassy knoll away from all the kids and that Maxwell is with them. Amanda spots them first and tugs me the rest of the way there, Daisy running down to meet her halfway and Maxwell running behind her. 

"Daisy! And hello Maxwell!"

"Hey Amanda! Dad said we were all having a picnic!"

Amanda turns to me and points a finger at me. "Did you plan this?"

"Maybe." I can't help but grin. "I figured you deserve a nice time."

She gives me a quick hug before turning back to Daisy. "Check it out! I repaired this old-fashioned camera the other day and it takes some really nice black and white pictures." She and Daisy bend down to take a picture of Maxwell while I head over to where Brian has a blanket and some drinks set up for us.

"We're gonna be ignored for a while," Brian says when I sit down. "All I had to say was 'Amanda' and Daisy was on board."

"Amanda needed some cheering up and has a lot of fun with Daisy, so I didn't see the harm."

Together, Brian and I take out all of the food and set it up on the blanket while Amanda and Daisy play with Maxwell. The girls and Maxwell come over once we have everything out and we all fill our plates and eat. Brian fusses over me, mostly because he could've made something to bring, but I assure him that I'm fine and that making the food didn't wear me out and that I was fine. The girls talk about school and friends and Amanda's camera while Maxwell dozes beside us, occasionally perking up for a bite of food. Brian tells me stories of his numerous fishing and camping trips with Daisy, which sounds like a lot of fun. I used to go camping with Craig, but I never found time to do it recently.

The girls finish eating first and go run off with Maxwell to take more pictures, leaving Brian and I to relax for a while. He doesn't say anything for a few moments, just watching our daughters play with the dog before he turns to me. "If you don't mind me asking, what made Amanda so upset?"

I sigh. I still can't believe her friends could be so cruel. "Some really close friends of hers turned on her and started to show who they really were. It really hurt since she knew a few of them for a long time. I needed to get her out the house for a little while so she could have some fun."

Brian nods slowly. "I know what you mean. Daisy's having some bullying problems at school too. Nothin' too severe, but a couple of her friends don't say anything when other kids call her names or tease her, and it's really been gettin' to her. She came home a little upset today and I was gonna take her out for a drive, but I think she likes this a whole lot better."

We look over at where Maxwell has taken a photo captive between his teeth and runs away with it, with Daisy and Amanda scrambles to get it back from it. Maxwell is too fast for them and evades their hands, but they seem to like just chasing after him. Amanda's clothes are beginning to stain and Daisy had dirt on her cheeks, but they're laughing as they chase after the tiny dog.

"Maybe they both needed some time to de-stress. Amanda looks much better than earlier. I just dread when she goes to school tomorrow; they'll probably end up messing with her again." I don't want Amanda to have to spend the rest of the school year getting teased by her so-called 'friends'. She's only got a little while left and she doesn't need to stress like that before she goes off to college.

A few minutes later Amanda and Daisy come back to us, out of breath and clothes all scuffed up from playing. Maxwell is held firmly in Daisy's hands while Amanda has a sorry-looking photo in her hands and a bunch of other ones held in the other. As soon as he's free, Maxwell pads over to me and flops down beside me, seemingly drifting off to sleep. Daisy and Amanda take seats beside us and try to catch their breath.

"Look at the photos Daisy and I took," Amanda says, handing me some of the photos. "Maxwell didn't sit still for a few of them, but I managed."

There are a few pictures of Maxwell, some very blurry and some really good photos of him sitting down, on his belly, mid-bark, or scratching his ear. The other photos are of children playing, birds in their nest, squirrels climbing trees, one of Daisy and Maxwell, and there are three photos of Brian and I on the blanket. One of us talking, one of us laying back on the blanket, and one where he's helping me clean up from earlier.

"When did you take these?"

"We got our stealth on while you two were busy. It looks good, doesn't it?"

It  _does_ look good if I'm being honest. "Yeah. All of them are pretty good."

"Even managed to catch my good side," Brian jokes.

He hands each of the girls some water so that they can re-fuel and pulls out a little bowl so that Maxwell can have a drink himself. I decline one, straightening out on the blanket and watching the clouds float by. My imagination is not as vivid as a child's was, but I could definitely point out a couple of animals in the clouds and a few flowers as well. Eventually, everyone lies beside one another and we lay there and point out what we see in the sky.

I feel more than see Brian shift a little bit until he's able to twine our fingers together.There's some hesitance in the move at first, but I feel the tension leave his body when I squeeze his hand in mine. Out the corner of my eye, I see him smile at me and I feel a smile on my face as well. Our hands stay together while we watch clouds, occasionally pointing out a strange hybrid cloud we see. 

"This is really nice," Brian murmurs. "Haven't watched the clouds since...I don't think I've actually watched clouds before."

"Amanda and I did it all the time when she was younger. She loved it. It's fun just pointing out the weird things you see." Alex would sometimes bring a sketch book with him and draw the clouds, letting Amanda scribble the animals she thought she saw. I was never good at art despite the classes I took, so I would just watch him and Amanda draw until Amanda went to sleep or Alex's hand started to cramp. "It's one of the a few outdoor activities she likes to do. I think it's where he photography passion came from."

"...When my wife was alive, she'd love going stargazing. Could sit for hours and just watch the stars and point out constellations I couldn't see. When we went camping, she'd lug this huge telescope out with us no matter what and always found the perfect viewing spot to see the stars. It was always hard for me to see em all at first, but she'd help me find all of them. We taught Daisy when she was about two, and now she can point them out flawlessly." He smiles. "Watching clouds feels just as good as stargazing."

I don't want to ruin the moment, so I stay quiet. But I can imagine a young Daisy trying to peer through a large telescope and see the stars while Brian and his wife help her find constellations. It reminds me of Amanda trying to point out clouds to me and Alex when she was younger. Daisy and Amanda were a lot more alike than I thought. 

The sun starts to dip a few hours later and we get up to leave. Daisy is asleep and Amanda is slowly drifting off. Maxwell is still against my side, though he perks up when I sit up and wags his tail. I handle most of the cleaning up while Brian gathers Daisy into his arms. Amanda is slow to get up, clutching her camera and making sure she has all of her pictures on her. Once she has everything together, she folds the blanket we were laying on and hands it to Brian, then hands me our basket.

"We had a nice time," Brian says quietly, so as not to wake Daisy. "We always like spending time with you guys."

"Yeah, you guys are pretty awesome too," Amanda murmurs tiredly. "Daisy and I had fun. Oh, and tell her that if those kids try to bother them again to just ignore them. Nothing gets under someone's skin more than seeing that their taunting isn't working."

Brian and I share a look. I should've figured that Daisy would confess to Amanda; she probably told Amanda things she didn't tell Brian. 

"Thanks. I-I will." He arranges Daisy on his back and adjusts his grip on the blanket. "C'mon. Let's head back."

* * *

The walk back home is silent, the only sound Daisy's soft snoring. Amanda occasionally looks up from her pictures, but she takes a couple of pictures on the walk back. Brian and I stand close to one another, our arms brushing every couple of steps. I see him glance at me every once in a while and smile, and I can't stop the smile on my face.

Brian makes sure that Amanda and I get to the house okay before heading to his own. I'm a lot more tired than I thought I would be, probably from all the relaxing I did, and I just want to shower and go to bed.

Amanda helps me wash the dishes and put everything away, and I give her her phone back before she heads to her room. She turns it on and watches a bunch of messages flicker across her screen, but she just deletes them and puts her phone in her pocket. She turns to leave, but turns back around and gives me a hug.

"Dad?" Amanda says quietly.

"What is it hon?"

"Thank you."

* * *

Amanda is much happier the next morning when she leaves for school. I ask her if she wants me to drive her, but she assures me that she's alright with taking the bus. 

"I'm not going to hide from them. If they see they don't get to me, they'll stop."

I'm glad she's feeling so much better. I know she might still be hurting, but it says a lot seeing that she isn't going to let them bother her anymore.

"If you need anything, shoot me a text. I'll take you out of school if it's too much."

Amanda shakes her head. "Nope. No running. I'll just keep my head held high as I can and act like they're invisible. Besides, I'm gonna hang out with Lucien."

"Lucien?" Damien's son? "Since when did you two become friends?"

"A while ago. At first, we kinda just spoke to one another in the halls, but these kids were messing with him one day and I got them to back off. I guess he appreciated it even if he didn't say anything. He started speaking to me a lot more and then we started texting each other and I invite him to sit with us at lunch and we just...clicked. I like him a lot more than my other friends; at least he's real."

Wow. I wouldn't have expected that from Lucien. He kinda seemed like a loner, but I guess that was because I didn't know him that well. It was nice that Amanda had other people to hang out with. "I'm glad. Have a good day at school."

"Thanks Pops. What are you gonna do today?"

"I'm gonna hang out with Mat today. He isn't feeling too good and neither is Carmensita; he closed the Coffee Spoon for the day and Carmensita stayed home from school." He called me this morning and asked if I wanted to spend the day with them. Of course I said yes. Carmensita reminded me of Amanda and even though I couldn't have any coffee, I'd be pretty nice to hang out for a while.

"Alright. I'll head over there after school instead coming home. Love you!"

"Love you too!"

Amanda heads outside to catch the bus. I'm glad she's feeling better. I know it doesn't take a day to get over something like this and Amanda might still be upset, but something about yesterday must've helped her push through the funk over her. Maybe Daisy told her something that made a lot of sense. Maybe she spoke with Lucien last night and he helped her clear her mind. Or maybe yesterday did more good for her than I though it would. Whatever it was, I hope she keeps up that attitude for the rest of the school year.

Well, since Amanda left for school, I'd better get ready to see Mat.

* * *

Carmensita in the one to answer the door when I go to see Mat. She's still clad in her pajamas and her hair is really puffy, but she has a large smile on her face. "Amanda's dad! Hi!"

"Good morning Carmensita. How are you?"

"Alright I guess. I woke up with a headache and I was dizzy. Dad didn't want to take chances, so he had me stay home. He just doesn't feel good today, so we're gonna have a lazy day." She steps aside so I can come in. "C'mon. Dad's getting dressed right now, then he'll make breakfast."

Mat's house is exactly like I imagined. There's an entire wall dedicated to his record collection while every other wall has at least two different posters from different bands. A few of them look familiar, and it takes me a minute to realize that I recognize that some of them are names Mat used to name drinks at the Coffee Spoon. A keyboard is mounted on the far end of the room behind the couch, right above an old-fashioned record player and modern looking speakers. The living room is more like a loft, with a collection of cds filling a couple of bookcases on the upper floor. His whole living room has a relaxed feel to it.

Carmensita sinks down onto a very comfy looking couch and turns the volume up on the TV. Unsurprisingly, there's a music channel playing right now; it must be their morning ritual to get ready with a different music genre on.

There's a puzzle on the coffee table that's only a quarter of the way finished; Carmensita was probably trying to finish it when I rang the bell. "Dad and I started it earlier, but he went to go change out of his pajamas and make breakfast." 

"Who was at the door Carm-Danny!"

I quickly cover my eyes, feeling silly for doing so. But Mat didn't have a shirt on and it would've been rude to stare. "Sorry!" From the quick glance I did get, I saw the edges of his tattoo spilling across his shoulder and another flash of metal near his stomach. He was also toned, much more than I was. Not exactly Crag toned, but he definitely had a nice body.

"N-No. It's okay. I just wasn't expecting you so soon." I can hear the blush in his voice and I imagine his cheeks are a bit red. 

His sweatpants were also very low-slung so I saw a piercing and the v of his hips and knew I was blushing. "My fault. I should've called you. Sorry."

Carmensita groans. "This wouldn't have happened if you didn't walk around naked."

"Hey, I had pants on. Pants count." He chuckles. "I have a shirt on now Danny. You can open your eyes."

I slowly lower my hands and let them drop onto my lap. I felt ridiculous for getting embarrassed like I hadn't seen a shirtless man before, but it felt different. "How do you feel?"

Mat comes to sit beside me on the couch and leans back. "Not great if I'm being honest. When I woke up, just felt  _off._ So I called up an associate of mine and had him go put up a sign for the day. I don't normally close up, but I don't think I could've worked today."

I reach over to feel his forehead. He doesn't feel warm, but you could never be too sure. "Maybe you just needed a day to yourself."

He shrugs. "Hopefully I won't be like this for long. I can't keep the shop closed for too long; people get really antsy without their coffee and they don't like going all the way to the mall when I'm at a convenient location. A day or two is alright, but any longer and people might riot."

I could imagine. Having to go to the mall for something overpriced coffee when there's a cool shop downtown was easier. "Regardless, you need to eat and get some energy. Let me go make you breakfast."

Before I can get up, Mat grabs my wrist. "Danny, you don't have to make breakfast. I can get up."

"I don't want to risk you passing out. That's dangerous."

"But you're the guest. Did you even eat today?"

I hadn't, but only because Amanda and I both woke up late. "Not yet, but I'm okay."

"I still can't ask you to do that."

"We can cook together!" Carmensita suddenly says. "You two can keep an eye on me and each other and we can have a big breakfast and no one has to worry about passing out."

That's actually not a bad idea. "I'm alright with that. Mat?"

Mat looks like he wants to protest, but he thinks it over for a minute and nods. "That does sounds pretty nice. Alright, we can cook together."

The kitchen has the same lofty feel as his living room. There's a cabinet with a clear door that has different kinds of coffee in it, while a few spices line a rack just below it. The fridge is decked out with band magnets and the walls lack records, but there's a few decor items that make it look as lively as the living room did.

"Anything in particular we should make?" Mat opens the fridge and examines what's inside.

"Pancakes. Or eggs. Or both. Both is cool too," Carmensita suggests.

"I'm alright with both of those. I've been craving eggs lately. We could make omelettes." Omelettes actually sounded great. Pancakes too actually. Maybe I was hungrier than I thought I was...

"We have enough stuff to make veggie omelettes in here. And we could make pancakes from scratch. Do you guys wants both?"

"Yes!" Carmensita and I say.

Mat laughs. "Alright, alright. Let's get started."

* * *

Carmensita is in charge of washing everything and getting all of the pans together. Not the best job we could give her, but Mat doesn't want her to accidentally cut herself while we're chopping vegetables. Once all of that is done, then she can help with the pancake batter. Much like Amanda, Carmensita likes fruit in her pancakes, though she wants apples in her pancakes instead of strawberries. Mat doesn't have a preference and I want bananas. We end up having three small bowls to make individual pancakes so the batters don't mix.

It's really nice to be cooking with Mat and Carmensita. Mat turned on some really soothing jazz song that was really easy to listen to and he hummed a song to the melody. I don't know what song it was, but it was nice to listen to and cook. Carmensita sat on a stool between us, occasionally handing us a utensil we might need or a different ingredient. She chatters about school and the different plants she found in the forest when she went exploring. She even let me in on a secret her and her friends have been keeping: there's a friendly little bunny that lives near the school and it occasionally comes to the playground and runs around. Lately, it's gotten bold enough to get closer to the kids, and Carmensita's been the one in charge of feeding it. Most of the classes keep it a secret so the teachers don't chase it away.

While the pancakes are cooking, I head over to where a separate skillet is set up to do the eggs. Of course we had to make three separate bowls again, but we all had different preferences: I want a bit of everything, Mat wanted cheese, spinach, and peppers, and Carmensita wanted ham and cheese in hers. Luckily, the skillet was big enough that I could make them all at the same time and have enough space so that they don't touch. Carmensita's is on the small side anyways, so there should be more than enough space.

About halfway through cooking the eggs, I feel someone against my back. It's far too big to be Carmensita, so I can only assume it's Mat. His arms wrap around my waist and I feel myself leaning back against him. "The pancakes are about done. How are you over here?"

"I was just added a bit of cheese and was going let them finish cooking. I'm almost finished." The edges are starting to brown a little bit and the cheese is oozing out of the sides. Too much longer and they'll burn. "You're going to have to let me go so I can finish."

There's a noise akin to a whine coming from Mat, but he lets me go and gets the plates, setting them down on the counter near me. Another few minutes and I can finally transfer them to the plates. Some of the cheese is stuck to the skillet, but it's not as messy as it could be. Pretty soon, breakfast is ready and we can all sit and eat.

Carmensita has the table set and glasses of juice set up for us. Mat and I set the plates down and we all sit to eat. As of now, the music switched to a livelier jazz track, but still as nice as the last few. Carmensita gives me a quick thanks before digging into her food. Mat chuckles and shakes his head at her, but he digs in as well. My stomach growls loudly and I blush, eating my own breakfast before my stomach embarrasses me even more.

I look around the kitchen once more and spy a glass container with a single slice of pie inside of it. Carmensita sees my looking at it and points her fork at Mat. "He ate it. He broke his promise and ate most of the pie. I went downstairs one night and he was eating the pie you made for me. And a big piece too. You were here when he promised not to, remember?"

I do remember. Carmensita made him swear he wasn't going to sneak anything while she was asleep. "I remember. I guess he's the reason?"

"Almost all of it! I got a few pieces this time though. It was really good. Like, the kind you would see in a magazine good."

I'm flattered. "That is very high praise, but I'm not  _that_ good. I just like doing it."

Carmensita hums, then shakes her head. "Nope. You're a pro. That was professional grade pie, and I've had a lot of pie before. You're in my top three."

"Who are the other two?"

Carmensita ticks off her fingers. "You're number one, Dad is number two, and Mr. Christensen is number three. There's that one place in the mall that's pretty good, but I saw a rat in there so we don't go anymore."

"Hey, you ate a couple of pieces yourself," Mat protests.

"But my pieces were small. Yours were huge pieces." She folds her arms and levels a glare at him.

I playfully fold my arms and give him a glare as well. "Well Mat? What do you have to say for yourself?"

He holds up his hands, though he's shaking with laughter. "Alright. Alright. You caught me. But only because Carmensita wouldn't let me have any for the first two days and kept talking about how good it was. I had to try it and see."

Neither one of us move, making Mat sigh. "I just can't win with you two, can I?"

"Not if you keep stealing pie," I tease. 

Mat shakes his head. “I'm sorry. But it was really good."

"It was. And that last piece is mine. She turns to me and smiles. "But I'll share it with you if you want."

I smile at her. "Sure. We can have some later."

Before Mat says anything, Carmensita points her fork at him again. "Not you though. You've had enough."

* * *

After we've finished eating and washing the dishes, we go back into the living room to finish the puzzle they had started earlier. Carmensita and I make more progress on it together while Mat orders some supplies for the Coffee Spoon. The picture is supposed to be of a forest with a bunch of animals in it, but we don't have much done yet; the pieces are very tiny and some look exactly the same. We have to keep sorting through piece after piece to find matches and then set those aside until we can put them together for the whole picture. Two hours into having no luck, Carmensita heads into the kitchen for a snack ans brings the last slice of pie. She does indeed share it with me, though Mat gives an exaggerated pout when we both deny him any.  I do let him have a little piece, but we finish the rest without him. He tries to steal a couple of bites, but Carmensita always catches him and makes sure he doesn't.

After our snack break, we return to our respective activities. Mat leaves to make a call, but when he comes back, he slides to the floor beside me and helps us put together pieces we didn't see. He's pressed against my side while we work, his arm around one of my shoulders while his head rests on the other. Carmensita doesn't say anything about our position, or she just doesn't notice because she barely bats an eye as us when Mat sits beside me. It's not like I mind either; while Mat smells like coffee and vanilla, but it's really comforting. His hand brushes mine occasionally when we're reaching for pieces, a few times too many to be coincidence, but it's alright. 

It still takes a while before we get halfway through the puzzle, but it doesn't feel like very long with the music playing. I don't recognize many of the songs, but Mat takes time to give me a little run down of the bands and the tracks. Mat and Carmensita sing along to a couple of them, or they make up lyrics to the instrumentals. It's highly amusing to listen to some of the odd lyrics they think of, but it's really enjoyable listening to them. We sit there trying to finish the puzzle and making up our own songs while track after track plays in the background.

We carry on for what seems like hours, so when there's a knock on the door, we're all understandably surprised and we all jump. Carmensita jumps up to answer the door, complaining about need to stretch her legs for a moment. Mat's hand slips under the edge of my shirt when she leaves the room, fingers tracing patterns just above my hip. I feel his fingers pause, hovering over the spot where my tattoo rests.

"You have a tattoo?" He asks, raising his head a bit.

"Three," I answer. "Hips and back."

Mat winces. "Ouch. How long did it take?"

"A while. Could not sleep on my back for days. Craig laughed at me the first night when I rolled over and started screaming, then realized I was really in pain and helped me out."

Carmensita comes back into the room with Amanda in tow, who eyes my position with Mat, but doesn't say anything, instead giving me a hug.

"Hey Pops. Hey Mat."

"Hey Amanda. How was school?"

"Eh. Pretty dull actually." She shrugs, handing me some papers. " I did manage to pass two tests though. The rest of this school year feels like it's gonna be pretty good."

I noticed she's been improving her grades lately. Sometimes she stays up late to do extra credit work, just to pull in extra points. "I'm proud of you Amanda."

"Thanks." She puts the papers back into her bag and smiles. "Had fun today?"

"I say we did," Mat answers. "Your dad might be a future songwriter."

Amanda laughs. "Really Dad? Tattoos and songwriting? What else have you been hiding?"

"Amanda, please let go of the tattoo thing. I thought we moved past that."

"But you have three! And I've still yet to see them all!"

I roll my eyes. "Fine. When we get home, I promise you can see them all."

"Thank you."

Mat sits up straighter and stretches. "Man, time really did fly. I need to start getting ready for tomorrow."

Really? "Isn't it a bit earlier?"

He shakes his head. "Not really. I usually go down to the shop pretty early and make sure everything is in order. That, and I usually make the pastries early so they're still warm by time I open."

"Do you even feel well enough to go in?" I really don't want him to go when he's not feeling good.

"I'll be fine. I feel a lot better."

I'm doubtful, but if he says he's okay, I'll trust him. Besides, I can always go check on him tomorrow. "Alright fine. But don't work yourself too hard."

Carmensita gives me a quick hug. "Bye Mr. Danny. I had fun today."

"Me too," Mat agrees. "We should do this more often."

"The cooking or the puzzle."

He smiles. "A little of both if you're up to it." When Amanda and Carmensita aren't looking, he presses a quick kiss to my cheek. "See you around."

"Y-Yeah. See you."

* * *

For some reason, I find myself unable to fall asleep again. I know I told Amanda that I was going to bed early, but I can't sleep. It's like I was tired moment, and wide awake the next. It's not hunger keeping me up this time, but I just can't sleep. Music doesn't help me go to sleep, neither does warm milk. I used to drink tea as a child and I would fall asleep once I finished it and laid down, but we don't have any tea. There would be a few stores open, but I don't think I'm going to the store just for a carton of tea. I'm going shopping later in the week anyways, so I'll just put it on my shopping list. Still, I'm not going to go to sleep just lying here.

Maybe some night air will do me some good.

Amanda is still on the couch watching TV when I try to leave, the empty popcorn bowl on the seat of the couch. "Everything okay Pops?"

"Yeah. I just can't sleep." I hold up my keys and phone. "I'm just going for a quick walk."

"Okay. I'll come with." She takes the bowl from the couch and goes over to the sink to wash it. 

"Amanda, you don't need to. You really wanted to see your show, so I won't take you away from it. I can go by myself. I'm a big dad."

"I can always record it-"

"You wanted to see it live. It's okay if you want to stay. I'll be fine."

She doesn't look convinced. I know that she's been waiting for this show for a month, and I don't want to take it away from her. She's been doting over me for a while now; she deserves to rest for a night. "Amanda, seriously. You can stay. I'll keep texting you, okay?"

"...okay. But you'd better text me and let me know you're alright. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I promise I'll text you every twenty minutes."

"Ten!"

"Fine. Ten minutes."

Once Amanda is pacified, I triple-check to see if I have everything before heading out.

For a moment, a flash of fear runs through me just thinking about the last time I took a walk at night. Actually, the last two times. And each time, I was chased by a pack that was trying to jump me. The only reason I got out of what could've turned into a nasty situation was because Robert saved me and chased them off. It was...really nice of him. When I saw him at the Coffee Spoon, I thought he would be a total badass that wouldn't want much to do with someone like me, other than a booty call. And yet, he protected me from a pack and even loaned me his jacket, which apparently a sign that Robert kinda liked me. Still, I'm totally confused on why he was so adamant on the baby not being his. If he just didn't want a baby, I would understand that. I'd be hurt of course, but I'd raise the baby on my own. I mean, even if he wanted to visit every once in a while, I'd let him. It was his right after all. But he just...walked away and didn't even think about it. I wish he'd talk to me at least...

"Little dangerous to be walking around at this time of night, ain't it?"

"Robert!" I admit, it sounds like more of a squeak than anything, but I hadn't expected him to show up, especially when I was just thinking about him. "I-I mean, I wasn't going far..." But when I chance a glance around, I'm all the way at the park, and Amanda has messaged me twice.

_Sorry Panda. Had it on silent and didn't hear it. I'm okay._

"You shouldn't be out here Danny. Lot of dangerous guys and gals lurk in these parts."

He looks...really bad. It doesn't look like he's slept in weeks because there are deep bags under his eyes that make him look much older than he probably is. He cheeks look gaunt and hollow and his skin is very paler than I thought possible. His hair is limp and dull, messed up from days of no care. Dark stains cover his shirt, which is ripped in a couple of places and wrinkled in others. His jacket looks like it was haphazardly thrown on and hanging off one shoulder, looking like it'll slip off at any moment. There are dirt stains all over his pants, the left knee is torn, and his boots looked scuffed up and dirty. And yet, he has a half-full bottle of beer in his hand and is swaying on his feet. With his eyes bleary and the occasional stumble he gives, I'm surprised he's even standing straight.

"If it's so dangerous, why are you out here?"

Robert gives a small chuckle. "I can handle myself."

"No you can't. You reek of alcohol and you look like you can barely walk straight."

"I can walk fine. I got myself out the house and all the way out here, didn't I?"

"Are you drunk?"

He shrugs sloppily. "I'm on my way there."

I really don't believe him, but I don't want him drinking anymore. Trying to reason was not going to go anywhere. I think Robert really is a little tipsy because his words aren't slurred or anything, but he shouldn't be walking around like this. "We need to get you home. Please tell me you didn't drive out here."

Robert doesn't say anything, but something tells me that he did.

"How could you be so reckless? What if something happened to you?"

I take out my phone and shoot a quick text to Amanda.  _Amanda, I got down to the park and found Robert. He's in really bad shape. I'm taking him home._

**_What happened to him?_ **

_I think he's drunk. I'm going to take him home._

**_Be careful._ **

It takes a little searching, but I manage to locate Robert's keys in his jacket and have him lead me to where his car is. Unsurprisingly, it's a ways down the street and I have to support most of his weight, so it takes us a minute to get to his truck. But once we're there, I struggle to load him into the car and put his seat-belt on. The smell of alcohol on his breath makes me sick, but I manage to keep myself together while I make sure he's strapped in properly. Once I'm sure that he's secure, I make the drive down to his house.

* * *

Robert wakes up long enough to get out of the truck once we pull into his driveway, though he trips out of his seat trying to get out. Before I can even manage to shut the engine off and get out the truck, he's righted himself and tries to stumble to his door. I doubt he'll be able to get in since I have his keys, but he still tries and mutters curses under his breath as he searches for his keys.

"Robert, let me do it." I brush past him and unlock the door. However, since Robert managed to slump against the door, he almost falls to the ground. But he catches himself on the door frame and stands up, looking around blearily. There's an excited yipping from the far corner of the house, and then a small black and white dog comes running up to us. It runs around us a few times before sniffing at Robert's shoes and whining.

"Go away Betsy." He nudges Betsy with his foot and tries to get her to leave, but she barks up at me and beginnings sniffing at my shoes. I think she's satisfied with me, or happy for that matter, because she runs around me a couple times and yips, trying to jump on me.

"I said go Betsy." He tries to nudge her away again, and this time Betsy takes the hint and scampers off.

He has a dog? And a tiny one at that. I thought he was more of a Rottweiler or a Pitbull or even a Mastiff, but I think that was a terrier. An incredibly cute terrier at that. With huge eyes and a stubby tail...

Focus Danny! Robert needs you!

Getting Robert to his bedroom takes a lot more time than I had expected. Empty alcohol bottles and cigarette cases litter the ground, and Robert seems to trip over every one of them. He's supporting a little bit more of his weight this time, but I still have to try and lead him to his bedroom. It takes extra time because Betsy keeps running around our feet and I try my best to avoid her, but I think she wants to play with us rather than lay down.

Once I get him to his bed, I take time to strip him of his clothes. Robert keeps trying to lay down, but he's not going to be comfortable if he sleeps in his clothes. It's like how I used to struggle with Amanda when she was younger, only Robert is much bigger and harder to maneuver with than Amanda was. A ten minute chore takes what seems like half an hour, and after long minutes of struggling with him, I finally have him stripped to his underwear and lying awkwardly in his bed. Robert adjusts himself until he's comfortable and I pull the covers up to his chin. 

He reminds me of a child like this, and I can't help but lean down and kiss his forehead. I might be imagining it, but it looks like he smiles a little before finally passing out.

Now with that out of the way, I take a look around the room. I should go home but...I can't leave Robert like this.

* * *

A few hours go by and I finally sit down for a minute. Amanda, and all the other Alphas for that matter, would be furious if they found out that I spent most of the night cleaning than resting, but they don't have to know. Amanda thinks that I'm watching over Robert to make sure he doesn't choke on his own vomit, but I didn't tell her about all the cleaning I've done.

Still, it's probably really late at night and I finally have most of the house clean. I threw out all of the empty alcohol bottle and the cigarette cartons and swept the floor. I also emptied out his fridge, which was filled with nothing but take-out cartons and some rotten food. I washed all his dirty clothes and kept  them in neat piles on his dresser and also patched up the clothes that I could repair. The ones I couldn't, I ended up throwing away since there wasn't much I could do to fix them. With the little food in his cabinets and in the fridge, I cooked enough food to last him a couple days so he didn't have to keep eating out, and so he could have something a little healthier in his house.

Betsy wanted to play more than she wanted me to clean, so there were a couple of times when I stopped cleaning to pay attention to her. She was a very playful little pup, jumping up to nip at my fingers, running in circles around me, and flopping onto her back so I would scratch her stomach. She was especially happy when I filled her food bowl and gave her some water; she yipped excitedly, ate far too fast to be healthy, and then tried to tackle me. Which was really cute because she could barely reach my knees. Still, she tried her hardest to jump and tired out after a few minutes, only to try again. It was very cute and very distracting; I ended up playing for an hour before getting back to work.

When I finally check my phone again, it's four in the morning. I think the house is clean enough for me to finally relax. The smell of alcohol and smoke is gone, the house smells like lemon, and there's some sense or order in the house. Hopefully Robert is okay...

I turn to check on him and see that he hasn't thrown up, but it looks like he tossed and turned while I was cleaning. However, he seems like he's sleeping peacefully even if he was drunk. His breath is still heavy with alcohol, but there's nothing much I can do for him except hope he sleeps it all off. I left a glass of water and two pills beside him for when he wakes up, so hopefully he won't be too hungover in the morning. I don't know how much he drank last night, or in the past two months for that matter, but it left him in this state, I can only imagine.

I can worry about that in the morning. Right now, all I want to do is sleep. I deserve some rest.

Something wraps around my wrist before I can move away and tugs me back gently. I turn to look at Robert, who's peering up at me with bleary eyes.

"Robert, you need to sleep this off. Lay back down." I try to take my hand back, but Robert tightens his grip. Not enough to hurt, but enough to keep me still. "Let go-"

"Stay."

His tired mumble makes me pause. Stay as in sleep, or something else?

"Please," he whispers. "Stay with me."

Something inside me is telling me that this is a bad idea, but a bigger part of me is saying that it won't hurt to humor him. And I do need the sleep...

Robert pulls the covers back and makes room for me to lay down. I make sure to take my shoes and glasses off before lying down in front of him, his chest against my back. His breathing evens out almost immediately, and he falls asleep again. It feels odd to do this; even though I already slept with him, sleeping with him like this feels...different. It's not bad, but it's definitely strange. And yet...I feel myself drifting off...

The last thing I remember before sleep takes me is Robert gently placing his hand on my stomach.

* * *

I wake up alone the next morning, Betsy curled up near my feet. The minute I move to get up, Betsy blinks open her eyes and scrambles up to lick my face. I end up laughing as I accept the good morning kisses. "Good morning Betsy."

She's finally finished licking me and flops down onto her back, trying to coerce me into scratching her stomach. I can't the urge to rub her stomach, making her growl appreciatively. She looks like she's dozing off again, which sounds like a good idea. But Amanda's probably worried about me and she's probably called me a thousand times.

Oh wait, only four.

_I'm fine Amanda. I couldn't leave Robert the way he was last night. I'll be home soon._

Betsy perks up when I sit straight up, climbing off the bed and waiting beside my shoes for me to move. It's hard to put on shoes when she keeps jumping up to lick my face every time I lean down, but she eventually settles down and runs off, probably to eat. I grab my glasses from where I left them last night, straighten my clothes, and get up to check on Robert. I don't know where he went, but I hope he didn't go off to drink again.

It's easier to navigate the house when it's light out and I make my way to the kitchen. The clothes I folded last night are all put away, and the house looks a lot cleaner than I had it last night. I can smell food in the air and my stomach grumbles, reminding me that I didn't eat in a while. I don't remember what I left in the fridge, but maybe there's something I can eat really quick.

"You're awake."

Robert comes out the kitchen with a plate of food in his hands. I think last night was good for him; he definitely has more color to him and I think he doesn't look as ragged as he did last night. But there's something in his expression that I can't read...

"I saw what you did last night."

Oh yeah. "It was a bit of a mess. I'm sorry that I did it without your permission, but I didn't think you should be living like that. So I...cleaned up a bit."

"Yeah...Thanks."

Robert doesn't say anything, holding the plate out to me. "I just heated up what you cooked. It was...good." He hands me the plate and quickly leaves the room, Betsy running after him. I watch him head outside and pick up a ball, tossing it so that Betsy can chase after it. There's a small smile on his face as Betsy runs the ball back to him, stubby tail wagging erratically as she waited for him to throw it again. He fakes a throw, which sends Betsy running after it for a few seconds before running back and waiting for him to actually throw the ball.

Comparing Robert last night to him now, _this_ seemed like how Robert should be. Not wasted and incoherent and barely able to walk, but like this. He seemed natural in this setting, and much younger. Last night, he seemed like a haggard old man, but like this, he just seemed like a man enjoying time with his dog. I never want to see him in that condition again. The stumbling, the bleary eyes, the torn up clothes, and sickly looking skin was horrifying. I'm not letting him do that, even if I have to check on him every couple of days to make sure he's not drinking.

I'm finished with my food fifteen minutes later and have already washed and dried when Robert comes back into the room with Betsy at his heels. As soon as she crosses the threshold, she runs over to me and jumps up, barking excitedly. She keeps nipping at my hand when I go to pet her, though she eventually lies down on her back so that I can reach her stomach. 

Robert doesn't say anything while I'm playing with Betsy. There's nervousness in his entire being as he goes over to the fridge and stands there for a moment. He looks like he's having a hard time deciding, but he pulls out a bottle of water and leans against the counter. Before the fridge closes, I see a couple of bottles lining the bottom shelves that I must've missed last night; I think all of that might be alcohol, but I couldn't see any of the labels to really tell. 

It doesn't seem like he's going to say anything, and this is getting more awkward the more I stay here. I don't even know if he remembers last night or what he said! Still, Amanda is probably freaking out right now and I need to go before she blows a fuse. "Robert, I'm going to head home. My daughter is probably worried sick." Regretfully, I stop scratching Betsy and stand up to leave. Betsy whines and gets to her feet, pawing at my ankles to try and get me to pet her some more, but I really have to go. 

"Alright." He takes another gulp of his water. "Before you go, I...got something for you."

He has something for me? Like what?

Robert tosses me something that I fumble to catch. Betsy jumps up to try and intercept it, but I just manage to grab it before she can. It's..a plastic bag filled with candy. Chocolate to be precise. One of those gift bags you buy at a candy store; it's even tied with a red ribbon. Was this his way of apologizing.

"Robert, why-"

"It'll help when the kid keeps you up at night." He shrugs. "At least, I hope it does."

"I...thank you Robert." I don't really know what else to say. It's a very sweet gift, though I can't imagine Robert going to a candy store to buy this. Even though it's a small gift, I still appreciate it. Not the apology I was hoping for, but it's a start.  

"No problem." He nods at me. "Get home safe."

While I'm walking away, I chance one last look at the house. Robert is in the yard with Betsy again, but he's not focused on the little dog trying to get him to play.

His eyes are on me.

* * *

It doesn't hit me until Amanda and I are on the way to my doctor's appointment two days later.

When Robert gave me the candy, he said 'it'll help when the kid keeps you up at night'. I didn't realize it then, but I didn't tell him about my cravings yesterday night. The only way Robert would have known about me craving sweets was either if Damien told him...

Or if he actually read the messages I sent him.

That was the only contact I had with him, and the only way I let him know about how the pregnancy was progressing. We didn't speak too much on it last night; we didn't speak much of anything last night. Other than my messages, there would be no way for him to know. And according to Damien, Robert always left the scene whenever I was brought up. So unless Damien did manage to tell him, the only way Robert would know was if he didn't ignore what I sent him. 

The thought of it made me smile. Something changed between Robert and I last night, and this little bag of candy proves it even further. Maybe some people wouldn't think much of this gesture, but I think Robert's finally coming around. Maybe...maybe he's slowly warming up to the idea of a baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DAMIEN SECRETLY LOVES FROZEN SRY I DON'T MAKE THE RULES  
> ALSO ATLANTIS IS A BEAUTIFUL MOVIE FITE ME  
> When you almost forgot that your character wears glasses, even though you wear glasses yourself...
> 
> The thing with Craig wasn't supposed to be that long, but I had the dialogue all written out and didn't know where to put it. I would've had all the dates, but I ended up changing my mind halfway through writing chapter 2 and completely re-writing that little portion. I didn't have anything planned for Craig so I re-used the original. For everything else, I made it up because 1) I love going to outdoor movies though I always end up falling asleep and 2) have you ever just cooked or baked with someone? It's so fun and so fucking soothing and I just love it. I definitely see Mat as the 'let's cook together' type of guy. 
> 
> That little tidbit with Amanda was based off something that actually happened to me. People I thought were my friends turned on me one day and abandoned me and I felt so angry, so when I got home my mom saw how mad I was and she just dropped everything and we went for a drive and got ice cream and she helped me calm down. I love how you build a relationship with Amanda in the game and even though I'm not using as much as the in-game interactions as I thought, I still want that father-daughter relationship in there.
> 
> (Also, I love Mulan, and while I don't hate Frozen, my school always showed that movie whenever we had movie days. Couple that with babysitting a bunch of small children who love Frozen and you basically watch Frozen all the time and you know all the lines.)
> 
> Robert has returned! And he was in bad shape. Real bad shape. However, Danny made some headway with him! Robert bought him a gift. And what's this? He actually read Danny's messages? Aw, Robert you do care!


	6. Blast From The Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I didn't think my past would come back to me. I thought I had left everyone and everything behind. I should've known that eventually, someone would find me.  
> I wish it had been anyone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've read the third part of 'Planning' over on my Tumblr, you might recognize a character that appears this chapter. If you haven't, you don't have to go read it because I will explain everything; this chapter can stand alone without reading that.  
> This chapter went through six re-writes before I was happy with it. Also, putting in a trigger warning right now for mentions of attempted rape. Please be aware of this as you read this chapter. If that is going to bother you, I'm putting five bold ~ right before anything uncomfortable starts so that people can skip over it if they feel uncomfortable. I know people love this story but I want to make sure everyone gets fair warning in case they want to skip certain parts.  
> Also putting a warning that there's some graphic vomit near the end, so be aware of that.

In a way, this new development makes me happy.

I had my doctor's appointment the other day and did all the tests to see if he could determine just who my baby's father was. He told me that I was at a pretty good point in my pregnancy where he would be able to tell, and after a few days, I would have my results. I had been pretty nervous about finding out, but I figured it was better for everyone if the waiting was over. I knew it was something everyone was waiting to hear, but something hits me while he's doing his test.

When I get the results from this, everything is going to change.

Sure, all the Alphas told me they'd stick by me throughout the whole pregnancy, but once the truth was out, the Alphas might turn on each other. Alphas are naturally territorial and protective, especially if their kid is around someone whose potential danger. And the potential danger was basically anyone around their Omega. Everyone would turn on one another and they might start fighting with one another and I don't want that to happen.

That's why I'm a nervous wreck right now, holding the thick envelope with shaking fingers. It keeps slipping from my hands in my struggle to get the stupid thing open. Amanda offers to do it for me, but I need to do this myself. I can't be afraid of this anymore. With shaking hands, I tear open the envelope and pull out the results.

There are a lot of papers folded together with words I don't even bother trying to understand. The only thing I really care about is what the results say. It's the last page in the bunch, one bold line standing out against the rest. 

"Well? What does it say?" Amanda is bouncing on her knees while she waits for my response.

"...the results are inconclusive," I manage to say after reading the text for what seems like the three hundredth time. That one little bold line was more powerful than I thought it would be. The results were inconclusive. 

"Inconclusive? Like, he can't tell?"

I nod numbly. "Yeah." I hold up a single white sheet of paper. "He sent me a personal letter and it says that he tried a couple different tests and even some nontraditional ones, but the results came up the same. He couldn't tell who it was. He suggests that maybe when I'm at 24 or 30 weeks to try again, when the baby is more developed." I take a couple of deep breaths. Even without the results, this is still a big deal. We can't exactly play this guessing game for another six to seven months.

"Oh." Amanda stops her bouncing and puts a hand on my shoulder. "Are you...okay?"

"I-I'm okay...I mean, I think I am? I don't know."

"C'mon Pops. Tell me what you're thinking. We talked about this."

"I..." I sigh, putting my head in my hands. "I guess I didn't really want to know in the beginning. Everything would change for us. I know all my Alphas said that they'd stick beside me even if the baby wasn't theirs, but how true was that? What if they did pull away because the child wasn't theirs?" I know I'd be hurt if something like that happened to me. I can only imagine what they might be feeling, knowing the person carrying their child is just as likely carrying someone else's. "I just...I'm not really sure I'd want to single one of them out. I've been spending more and more time with all of them and I want something to develop, but I want it with everyone."

I like all of them. Craig has been my bro forever, and even though he's changed in the last few years, he's still my best friend and a caring guy. I've seen how he was with his daughters and kids in general and I know he's a good guy. Mat is awkward and gets flustered, but he's really sweet and often playful. He's always putting my needs first above his own and goes out of his way to make sure I'm healthy during this pregnancy. Hugo is a dork through and through, but he's so endearing and he just makes the teacher thing work. We read about the baby's development and things I can do to make sure the baby is well-taken care of. Brian is competitive, as I've seen in the numerous games of pool we've played. But there's just something about him that makes him a comforting presence to have around. Damien is sweet and the perfect gentleman, reading me stories in different languages and giving me a bouquet of flowers every couple of days. I've seen how he interacts with his son and I want that Damien. Victorian culture and all; I don't mind any of it because that's who Damien is. 

Even...Even Robert made an impact on me. I found another bag of candy in my mailbox and knew it was him who dropped it off. In the little time I was with him, I learned just a bit about him and knew he was a good person underneath the brooding and the drinking. And I wanted to know more about that person. The one who asked me to stay the night to just sleep. I want to know about him.

Amanda clears her throat and I realize that I'd been staring at the pages without actually reading anything or saying anything. "I just don't think I can handle losing them. I've gotten used to what we have right now, and it might just be the baby and the hormones, but I'm so used to being with all of them and around them that I want it to last. Even this...confusing thing developing with Robert is something I want to build." I did end up telling her about what happened that night, how Robert had drunkenly pleaded for me to stay the night with him, and the candy he gave me the next morning. She thinks Robert may have had an epiphany and realized that he wanted something out of it. I don't know, but I noticed that the most recent bag of candy had been significantly bigger than thr last.

"What about Joseph?" Amanda asks. "He's as much a part of this as the others."

I've been thinking about that too. "Joseph is...I'd have to work something out with him. He's been avoiding me all this time and I still think he neglected to tell Mary about what happened, but if this happens to be his child and he wants a part of his child's life, then he's allowed it. But if he wants to avoid me and pretend the child doesn't exist, that's fine with me too. I'm not going to force anything because it'll only stress me out and cause trouble down the line." I know it'll probably be problematic if this baby is Joseph's and he ignores it; it'd be hard to ignore a baby with blonde hair and blue eyes, and judging by his last four kids, it was very likely that if I had a child by him, it would be easy to tell.

"Am I selfish Amanda? Is it wrong to want something with six different men? Is it wrong to want them all?" Or am I just grasping onto their affection while I have it?

"Well Pops, I keep telling you that everything is going to work out, and I really think it will." Amanda plucks the papers from me and rips them up. "It might take a while since this is delicate, but you're worried about nothing. And your feelings don't make you selfish. They're part of what makes you who you are."

I will never get over how great my daughter is. "You're the best Amanda."

"Yeah, and you'd better remember it, even when I am replaced by a tiny baby version of me; I'll still be the best." She gives me another smile and grabs the remote. "Now, you need to take your mind off of this. I say we watch a good movie. What are you in the mood for?"

"...Can we watch _Mulan_?"

Amanda laughs. "I should've known."

* * *

"I told Lucien about...the situation." 

I look over to where Damien is positioned beside me, though hd refuses to meet my eyes. I'm spending the day with him and we're doing some light yoga to keep my body in shape for the baby. I didn't think Damien was so flexible, but he looks so natural in all these positions that I struggle to reach. Now, he looks tense, not at all relaxed like he was moments ago.

"I don't like hiding anything from my son, so I felt it was my duty to let him know about this. He'd been curious about my involvement with you for a while now, and I had to tell him the truth."

"How did he take it?" I'm really nervous about hearing his reaction. I've spent some time with Lucien since Damien and I talked, but he spends more time with Amanda than me. The only time I see him is when Damien and I share the treats I make and invite Lucien to join us. And even then, we don't communicate as much as I would like. He probably doesn't trust me yet, which is understandable, but I would like to know him a lot better.

"He was...a bit upset at first. Especially with hearing about your...visits with the others. But then he was quiet, and then...well, he was actually rather excited." There's a hint of a smile on Damien's face and I feel myself smile as well. So Lucien was fond of children? Or maybe the prospect of having a younger sibling? That was good to know. "He wanted me to give you something. For the baby."

Damien easily unfolds himself from his position and grabs a black box that was sitting on the table. I don't know why I hadn't noticed it before, but then again, even with the pink ribbon and the scratched out label, it kinda blended in. He hands it to me very carefully, and I pick up the card attached to the end of the ribbon.

_To Danny. From Lucien. The baby might like this._

Short and to the point. Maybe he didn't know exactly what to say, or maybe that's just how he writes. Slowly, I lift the lid from the box and push aside all the frilly pink wrapping paper. There's something black and white inside, though I'm not sure what it is. Pulling it out reveals a cute black and white teddy bear with green button eyes. It has on a black suit and checkered tie, a black fedora with a white stripe sitting lopsided on its head, and a large grin on its face.

It's...It's... "Adorable!" It looks just like something from the cover of one of my favorite Ska bands, and the green eyes are just the cutest. "I...I mean, I think the baby will love it!" I definitely love it. Even if the baby doesn't, I really like it. Its an actual Ska bear!

"I think he'll be glad then. He was nervous the entire time he was designing it." Damien sits back down beside me and smiles. "He thought you might hate it, but he'll be glad to know that his hard work was appreciated."

To tell the truth, I was nervous about how the older kids would react to the news. Telling this to the younger kids would be a challenge since there was some stuff we might have to censor for them, but for Lucien and Ernest, trying to sugar coat it for them would probably lead to anger from them, or maybe even hurt them. It was the last thing I wanted, especially considering that they were involved in this as well. For any of them, they could have a sibling on the way; they had a right to know everything. And I was scared that with Lucien and Ernest, they'd have...strong feelings about it.

"I'm glad he took it well. I've been nervous about how all the kids would take it." I know I still have a few others to deal with, plus the eventual confrontation with Mary I might have to deal with, but it's nice to know that there's some progress being made. Not everyone will be receptive, but I'm glad Lucien is happy. "The bear is really adorable. I have to be sure to thank him."

"You're welcome."

"Oh! Lucien!" I didn't even hear him come down the stairs or come into the room. Maybe the silent thing runs in the family because I still haven't gotten used to Damien doing it. I may have to worry about my baby sneaking up on me all the time...

"Do you mind if I join you?" He has on sweatpants and a tank top today, a purple yoga mat tucked under his arm. It looks a little worn, like they do this all the time. This must their bonding ritual, along with their daily tea time.

"Not at all." Damien scoots over to make room for Lucien between us. Lucien spreads his mat out and does some simple stretches before getting into Triangle pose. He looks just as comfortable as Damien does doing this, and a lot more flexible. We go silent for long moments, just focused on doing our poses before Lucien speaks.

"I wanted to get something...unique," he says quietly. "Something that they could enjoy no matter what."

"It's certainly unique. I've never seen such a cute bear before. Was it custom made?"

There's a beat of silent, and then Lucien nods. "I...found a store online. Amanda helped. She...she said that you were into...Ska?"

I knew it was Ska-inspired! And I thought Amanda said Ska was lame, yet she helped him design a custom bear for me. "This was really sweet of you Lucien. I'm sure the baby is gonna love it."

Lucien turns the slightest bit pink. "Good."

Damien gives me a smile when Lucien folds into a new position and I smile back. I see relief in Damien's eyes, probably at tbe prospect of Lucien and I getting along. 

We do our yoga for another half-hour before Damien gets up to get water for all of us. My limbs ache just the slightest bit and I stretch them a bit to soothe the slight pain. Lucien waits until Damien has left the room to turn to me. "Listen...my dad's had a rough couple of years and...raising me alone couldn't have been easy. Especially with how people treated us. Not many people accepted him for who he is. He's kind of weird, but I love him. And you've been making him happy lately. He feels...accepted. The baby is making him excited and he cares a lot about you. So, thank you. I guess I finally see what Amanda means; you are pretty cool." There's a small, very slight smile on his face, but it means the world to me.

First a heart-to-heart with Lucien, and now hearing Amanda actually admitting to someone that I'm cool? This has been a really great day. "Lucien, I know we had a bit of a rocky start, but I'm glad I have a chance to get to know you better. Your dad is really cool and it's obvious how much he cares for you. And...it means a lot that you think I'm cool and made that bear for the baby. It really was sweet of you."

If anything, the pink on Lucien's cheeks gets deeper. "Anyways, just...thank you."

"You're welcome."

Damien comes back a moment later with three water bottles in tow, pausing beside us to try and figure out what changed. I don't think he heard what Lucien said, but I know he senses that something is different. I don't want to tell him, knowing that this was a personal moment between Lucien and I. If Lucien wanted to tell him, that was fine by me. If he wanted to keep this little thing between us, that was alright too. All that mattered was that Lucien was a little more comfortable with me.

* * *

I feel so much better after my talk with Lucien. I managed to talk with him a little bit more before he decided to go back to his room, and Damien refrained from asking what happened, even though I knew he wanted to. But he told me he respected his son's privacy and if Lucien wanted him to know, he'd tell. After that, Damien and I went up to the library to read a little bit more, a couple more stories in a foreign language I didn't understand. We went and checked on the garden and did any care we needed, then Damien bid me a good night.

The next few days passed in a bit of a blur, but in a nice manner. I went to another one of the twins' softball games and brought the team celebratory cookies for another game won (and nearly ripped Janet a new one. I'm going to slaughter that woman if she makes another snide comment to me again), went on another picnic with Daisy and Brian, spent a day at the Coffee Spoon with Mat, graded papers with Hugo (I'm fully convinced that this Collin kid is just in school for shits and giggles), and went over a couple more designs with Amanda for the baby's room. And though I can't  _see_ the change, I know that the baby's been growing a little bit each day. My baby bump isn't that much bigger yet, but the tiny bump is just the slightest bit rounder. Each day, I get a little bit more excited when I think about my baby. While I am nervous about having another baby after so long, the excitement outweighs any fear I might have.

I'm in the middle of comparing paint swatches for the baby's room when I hear the doorbell. It takes me a moment to put everything to side the and get off the couch, but whoever rang the doorbell starts knocking like crazy.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Geez, whoever was at the door really needed to see me. And I don't know who it could be; the school would've called me if something happened to Amanda, all the Alphas have keys to the place, so I can't imagine anyone banging on the door so hard. It's times like this I regret that our door doesn't have a peephole.

"Yes?" As soon as I lay eyes on the visitor, my blood runs cold. No. Not him.

"Danny! Old buddy, I finally found you!"

I try my hardest to slam the door close, but he wedges a foot in the door. "C'mon Nerd, don't be that way. Is that really how you greet an old friend?"

Friend? That's a laugh. He's no friend. He's a nightmare. "How did you manage to find me?" Why was he here? This cannot be happening. I went out of my way to make sure no one from my old town could find me, and yet he was the one who found me. This isn't real. I must've fallen asleep on the couch again and I'm having a nightmare.

"It wasn't easy. You basically disappeared after high school, moved a million miles away during college, and changed your number and everything. This place was the last place I'd expect to look for you." The smirk on his face reminds me of what happened long ago, and I once again try to shut the door. Not that he lets me. "I'm so glad I found you." 

I recognize the dark hair, the blue eyes, and that stupid smirk anywhere. He's much taller than me now and has a lot more muscle on him than from when we were younger. But it's still him. All the memories from that night come back, making my sweat run cold and my heart start pounding in my chest. 

Max.

"Danny, it's gonna look a bit weird if I keep standing out here like this. Can I come in?"

"No." I curse my lack of strength as Max manages to push the door open a little more. "Go away Max." Why did he have to show up? And how did he even find me? "Let go of the door!"

Max slides his foot in a little further and gives the door a final push. I stumble back from the force, catching myself in time to see Max come in the door and lock it behind him. I lunge for the house phone, but Max is faster and manages to get to it before I can. My cell phone is on the kitchen countertop and Max is much closer to it than I am. I don't even think I could get to the backdoor or my cell without Max catching me. The only thing I could really do was hear him out.

"How did you find me? I stopped talking to everyone from my hometown for a reason." One of them to get away from people like him, the other because I was looking for a change of scenery.

Max leans against the counter and looks around my house before his eyes settle on me. "Nice place ya got here. Real comfy. Kinda small for my tastes, but you do you."

I wish there was a weapon nearby that I could hit him with. "Max, get out of my house."

He holds up his hand and tries to placate me. "Relax nerd. I'm just here to catch up with an old friend who ran away from home. It's been years. I wanna catch up." He glances over at a picture of Amanda and I hanging on a wall. "So much has changed. I mean, you've got a kid now."

"Yeah."

Max rolls his eyes. "Danny, seriously? You don't have to be this way with me. It's me: Max. We were best friends."

"Correct. We _were_ friends. Past tense. Now, you're a stranger and you forced your way into my house. Get. Out."

"I asked everyone what happened to you and no one seemed to know. You just left. I'm hurt Danny. You left me." He's talking so casually. I hate it. He's acting like nothing happened. Like it's just been a few years and we lost touch. This isn't one of those situations. I don't want to see him.

"Max, get out of my house! Right now, before I call the cops!" I'm trying to buy myself time at this point, hoping that someone comes by and hears me yelling and comes to investigate. "Now!"

Max stands, tossing the house phone behind him. It clatters into the kitchen and rests by the fridge. He's in my way of getting there, blocking my way to the kitchen and to my bedroom. "Call the cops? With what phone?"

I hate him so much right now.

**~~~~~**

He leans back against the counter and crosses his ankles. "Now, since you're so eager to find out how, I guess I'll tell you how I ended up here. I was thinking about you, like I usually do, and decided to see if I could find any kind of information on you. Without any social media pages or anything it was hard to track you down; I almost gave up. Then I got the chance of a lifetime to come to Maple Bay; I've become a bit of a celebrity in the art world and have a gallery in a few days. I had to come early to help set up and get the word out when I saw you around time with some brat, who I assume is your daughter. It only took a bit of watching you to find out where you lived."

"You were stalking me?! Max, what is wrong with you?!" I'm beyond scared. I need to get out of here. If I can't make it to the door, maybe out the window would be better. I left the living room window unlocked, so with a good push I could go get help. "You've been trying to hunt me down for so long, and for what reason?! Why couldn't you leave me alone?!" There has to be something close to me I could use as a weapon. As much as I've lectured Amanda about keeping safe and having potential weapons around, and I can't even find one to use myself. This feels exactly like what happened when I was sixteen and I don't want a repeat of that. Because unlike then, there's nobody around to save me.

Max chuckles, shaking his head. "I told you Danny: you're mine. You've always been mine. And you'll always be mine. I wanted you for so long and I'm not letting you go again."

I don't like the look in his eye. He's clearly lost his mind.

I break into a sprint and move as fast as I can to the window, trying to get away from him and get help. I hear Max curse angrily, and hear his footsteps behind me. I try my hardest to gain distance, the window seeming much farther away then I thought it was. But I can make it. I know I can. I can-

Max grabs my arm and yanks me back. One of his arms wraps around my neck, the other still on my arm. He tugs harshly, yanking me back against his chest. I feel him sniffing at my neck and feel his lips at my ear.  "I'm not letting you run," he breathes.

"LET ME GO! LET GO!"

"Danny, calm down-"

"HELP!"

The arm tightens around my throat and I struggle to breathe. It doesn't stop me from trying my hardest to get someone's attention. It gets harder and harder to breathe as Max keeps applying pressure. Pretty soon, I'm choking on my own saliva rather than screaming. I'm still trying to flail, but I'm getting weaker. I can't breathe. I feel dizzy and my vision is beginning to swim.

"You're mine Danny. All mine." He spins me around and shoves me down onto the couch, clutching my throat once again while he pins my body under him. I try to claw his hand off of my neck, but I have little strength left in me. I'm gasping for breath at this point. I can barely see Max above me, but I know he's there; I hear him moving above me but I'm unsure of what he's doing. "I'm taking what's mine."

No...

**~~~~~**

_"Get off of him!"_

The arm around my neck is gone, the body pinning me moved, and I take a large gulp of air to get something back into my lungs. I end up choking trying to take in too much air too quickly, but I'm able to see clearly and my vision is slowly coming back. My heart slowly calms down until it's beating normally. My hands immediately wrap around my stomach, wanting to make sure my baby is okay. I didn't get hit in the stomach when Max grabbed me or pinned me, but I just needed to be sure that the baby is okay. There's a very slight flutter I might be imagining, but it reassures me that we're okay. I'm just thankful that someone managed to help me before Max went too far.

Speaking of my savior... _Robert?_

Robert has Max pinned, holding a knife to his throat. Max's lip is busted and his eye looks swollen, a little bit of blood welling up from the knife at his neck. I don't know how Robert got in here, but I'm so glad to see him. I didn't think that anyone would be around to help me and was sure Max was going to violate me. But Robert came and saved me once again.

However, I don't need him going to jail for murder, no matter how much Max deserves it.

"Robert, wait! Don't kill him!"

Robert looks absolutely livid, barely restraining the urge to just shove the knife into Max's throat and end him here and now. Max is a whimpering, sobbing mess below him, loud pleas for his life and for Robert to stop. "This bastard-"

"Robert please! I don't want anything to happen to you. He's not worth it." A small part of me really wants to tell Robert to end him, but this is going to cause a lot of trouble if I let him go through with it. And I don't want Robert in trouble either. "Please, just let him go."

Robert doesn't look like he's going to get up, but he slowly does, keeping the knife pointed at Max the entire time. When he's finally standing, he starts kicking Max as hard as he can, not stopping until Max tries to turn over and crawl away. And even then, he stomps on Max's lower back and grinds his heel in. Max starts begging, crying for Robert to let him go, but Robert just chuckles darkly.

"You didn't let him go when he was screaming at you to stop. Why should I?" Robert looks like he's enjoying this, while Max looks like he's suffering. "You're pathetic." But he has mercy and lets Max go, who scurries to the door and trips over himself trying to leave.

"Tch. Asshole." Robert flips his knife closed and pockets it. "Are you-"

I run over to Robert and wrap my arms around him, feeling so relieved that I don't know what to do. If he hadn't shown up, there was no telling how far Max would've gone. I have an inkling that it would've ended up bad for me; Max looked like he had gone off the deep end and he probably would've gone as far as kidnapping me. That's how crazy he seemed. "Thank you."

He hesitates, but Robert wraps his arms around me. "You alright? He didn't hurt you, did he?" He pulls back slightly and winces. "Your neck. That's...gonna bruise real bad."

I can feel pain in my neck, but that's nothing compared to how utterly terrified I was. My legs are shaking, I feel like I'm going to throw up, and I can't see straight. "How did you even know he was here?"

"Saw him hanging around the neighborhood. Looked shady. Didn't trust him. I saw him try to force his way in and knew he was trouble. Took me longer than expected to pick the lock."

He can pick locks? Is there anything else he can do that I don't know about? "I-I..."

"Who was that guy?"

I shudder just thinking about it. "He was an old friend of mine. Back in high school, he did something to me and I never forgave him for it. I stopped speaking to him and I guess he was just so obsessed with me to the point that he tracked me down all these years later." It was hard to believe that Max found me. Or that's he's been tracking me. "He took the phone before I could call for help and I didn't have my cell on me. I-I was scared he was gonna..."

Robert holds me against his chest and keeps his arms tightly around me. "He's gone now. You're safe."

I feel much safer now. "Can you just...stay with me? I don't want to be alone." Just knowing that Max knew where I lived was scary enough for me. What if he came back?

Robert tenses in my arms and I feel like he's going to pull away. It's silent for so long that I start to pull away from him and give him space, but to my surprise, he tightens his arms around me and nods. He gently rocks us until I'm no longer shaking and I can see straight again. He pulls away from a moment, but only to lead me to the couch and rearrange us into a comfortable position, my head on his chest while he rests against the arm of the couch. His heart is beating very fast for some strange reason, and I want to ask him about it, but I don't want to ruin the moment. Robert doesn't say much more after that, just turns on the TV to some bad soap opera and we just watch that, not saying much else.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Robert asks quietly. "When I saw him push his way into your house, I...panicked. And when he was on top of you, I-I just snapped."

"I'm better now." One of his arms squeezes me just a little tighter, his thumb stroking up and down my shoulder. "You saved me from something horrible. Just like last time." I give a shaky chuckle. "Man, we've got to stop meeting like this," I joke, just to lighten the mood. I'm still shaken up about the whole thing and Robert is still tense. 

Robert doesn't laugh. Not that I expected him too. "I...yeah. We do."

This might be my only chance to talk to him. I want to know why he was so drunk that night. Why has he been distant? Why is he staying with me now? When we were in his kitchen, he didn't say anything, but he's suddenly opening up now? Why? I want to get to know him, to know this mysterious guy, but I can't do that if he keeps running away. "Robert, what happened to you? Why have you been ignoring me? Damien told me you run away whenever I get brought up."

I don't expect him to answer me, but it surprises me when he sighs. "I'm sorry I haven't been in touch. I've just...been away lately. When you told me about that the kid I just...I ran. I ended up doin' some thinking. Got a lot of regrets in my life and...I started drinking to forget. I tried to forget about how I constantly chase things I think would make me happy, but they don't. And...I haven't thought about the people around me. How I'm making them feel."

Am I one of those people? Or does he mean people like Damien, who know him a lot better? "And what did you find?"

He doesn't speak for a long moment, so long that I think he wants the conversation die. But he wraps his other arm around me and holds me tight. "I can't keep thinking about myself. I can't keep seeing a good thing and pushing it away." He stares at something far away, something I can't see. "I can't keep doing this. I keep this up, and I'll loose the good things and be stuck in this shitty world with shitty people." 

This is...strange. I never thought Robert would open up to me like this. Did something happen in the past few days to make him this way? Or had he been drinking again and this is drunken rambling? "Robert, I don't know where all of this is coming from, but it must've taken a lot for you to tell me this. Especially when you don't know me too well. And I'm glad you told me. Just...you don't have to be an enigma all the time. You do have people around you, people that care. Don't shut them out." I'm starting to see a different side of him. Robert keeps shutting this side out for some reason, and I suspect it's because of something in his past, but I can't pinpoint what it was. This was one of those moments where I can see the real him. We might not be friends yet, but he trusts me enough to tell me something this personal. Did I have that much of an effect on him? Or did the thing with Max effect him more than he said? I get a few answers, yet I still have so many questions.

It's silent for another stretch of time. One of Robert's hands drifts to my stomach, hovering over my small bump before he gently places his hand over it. "Do you...ever wish...do you ever wish you were a better father?"

It's my turn to think about it. "Honestly, not a day goes by when I think about what I could've done better. I think every Dad thinks about it. You can read all the books and listen to all the professionals, but nothing ever prepares you for having a child. I'm not even sure I'm ready for this one I'm having in a couple of months. I think about what I did with Amanda and the things I'd try for this baby, but they won't be the same. I am a little scared that I won't be good enough this time around. But no parent will ever be able to give you an answer. It's a learning process that stays just that: a process."

Robert chuckles. "Funny. I've seen how you are with your daughter and the relationship you have, and it seems perfect."

I've no idea when Robert has seen me with Amanda other than the barbecue, but that isn't entirely true. Amanda and I are still working on our last problem. "It isn't. Amanda and I have our fights, and there were times when she was so mad she didn't speak to me."

"But you were there to talk to her. You were  _there._ " This was said with just a touch of bitterness.

"I want to be there for her. My Dad was around me all the time, and sure he looked out for me, but there were times when it just seemed like he  _wasn't_. I can't hate him for looking out for me, but there are times I wish he would've just..." I don't like talking about my parents too much, but since Robert shared with me, I felt it was right to share with him. "I wish he would've been proud of me for my achievements, or there for me when I needed to talk about something other than my nature, or told me he loved me. But he wasn't and he didn't. And I don't want Amanda and I to turn out like that. I want her to know that I'm always there when she needs me. Even down the line, when she's in college or in another city or settling down with her own family, I want her to know her Dad will always have her back." I slowly place my hand over his on my stomach. "I want the same for the little one too. I want them to know all the love I can give them."

"Danny...I...you..."

"Shh. Robert, you don't have to say anything."

"No. I need to. Danny, I'm sorry I've been away. I'm just really messed up and I don't want to keep hurting the people around me. I don't want to hurt people who actually care about me. And when I saw that bastard in here, about to...to...it made me realize that I need to do work on myself. For people like you."

"People like me?"

"You're a good boy Danny. You care about fucked up people like me. Most people would've left a drunk mess like me at the park, but you took me home, cleaned me up, washed my shit, cooked for me...you went out of your way for me, and for what?"

"Because I couldn't just leave you that way. What if something happened to you?" What if he got mugged, or killed while he was out there? "I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that I left you alone to get hurt." I may not have known him for long, but I wouldn't be able to sleep easy if he was in danger.

"But you brought me home and took care of me."

"You could've hurt yourself back home too. What if you tripped over all of those bottles on the floor or tripped over your dog?"

Robert chuckles. "See? That's what I'm talking about."

I feel like I'm missing something here, but I go along with it. "Does this mean I won't find you like... _that_ again?"

"I...got work to do. I should've done it a long time ago, but I've gotta fix...whatever mess I made for myself. I...I don't think I could hurt you. I don't want to."

"Robert..."

"There's just...something about you that...I can't explain it, but you're...you...I  _want_ to get to know you better. But I can't do that the way I am. So for you, for Damien, Mary, and... _her_ , I need some time."

I want to know him better too. "Robert, I can give you that. But can you promise me that you'll...just let me know how you're doing once in a while? If I'm not asking for too much, just keep me updated on your progress. Please?"

"Promise."

We lapse into silence once again, though it's much more comfortable now. Robert trusts me on some level, enough to open up to me a little bit. It was a lot more than I ever expected of him, but he told me a lot and I have a bit of a better idea of his character. But there is still a lot I don't know, and a lot I want to know. I want to know what caused him to be this way, the things he's been chasing that doesn't make him happy, and why it was that I changed him. 

The silence is interrupted by stomach rumbling loudly. Robert doesn't say anything, but I feel him holding back his chuckles underneath me. "S-Sorry," I mumble. 

"Hold on a sec." Robert reaches into his jacket pocket (which I feel like has millions of pockets for different things, mainly knives) and pulls out another candy bag, one that looks suspiciously like the one he gave me before. It's tied with an orange ribbon this time, the fancy description on the back says that it's caramel this time. Which is great, because I love caramel. 

"Thank you." I gratefully take the bag from him and pull out three, chowing down on the creamy chocolate and the sweet caramel. I still have no idea where he got it from, but kudos to the candy store it came from. Because unless I'm just really hungry, this chocolate is divine.

Robert doesn't hold back his chuckle this time, but he also doesn't say anything when I begin to shove piece after piece of candy into my mouth, which probably does not look very appealing but I  _really_ like this chocolate. Instead, he switches the channel to a very bad horror movie that serves to make him chuckle and me cringe.

It's when I'm halfway through the newest bag of candy that I realize that while Robert and I were talking, I never managed to ask him why he rejected being the father of my baby. We talked so much about other things that it completely slipped my mind to ask. And if I try to ask him now, the progress we made might go down the drain and I don't want that. If giving him some time to approach me helps him open up, then I'll refrain from asking.

* * *

As soon as Amanda comes home from school, her eyes zero in on my neck and she throws her bookbag across the room.  "Dad! What happened to your neck?!" She gently runs her fingers over the raised skin, wincing at the dark bruises peppering my neck. "Are you okay?!"

"I'm okay Amanda. I just ran into a spot of trouble earlier."

Amanda folds her arms and growls. "Who did this to you? Who's getting kicked in the throat?!"

I didn't want to tell her at first in fear that she would immediately go on the hunt for Max, but I made a promise to always tell the truth. "An old...acquaintance from high school tracked me down again and found me. I tried to shut the door on him, but he forced his way in and I couldn't get to my phone. Things got a little...violent, but Robert picked the lock and kicked him out. He actually left about..." I check my watch. "Twenty minutes ago."

"Does it hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"I think I'm fine Panda. Before anything went too far, Robert saved me."

Amanda relaxes, but only a tiny bit. "Okay, but now I don't want you home alone. He knows where we live now. Did either of you call the cops?"

"Robert did, but there wasn't much they could do. They said they'll be on the look out for him; I gave him his name and a pretty good description, but I don't know how much help they'll be." Especially considering the look they gave Robert, and how one of the officers asked me if anything was going on between us that they should know about. As if  _Robert_ was the troublemaker and not Max. It pissed me off and took everything in me not to snap at either of them. 

"You aren't staying home alone anymore. At least, you're not staying home until they do something about this guy who assaulted you. We aren't taking any chances of you getting hurt."

"I know. I expect a pack of concerned Alphas rushing home to make sure I'm alright and take care of me the rest of the day." I told them all what happened, and Mat called me panicking, Brian kept calling to make sure that I was okay, and Hugo was about to cancel the rest of his classes to come make sure I was okay. I told them I was with Robert, but they were still worried that I might've gotten injured in the whole thing. Now I'm sure that they're all making excuses for why they need to leave work early and check on me. Which is really sweet of them because I do need to be with someone right now. In the few minutes between Robert leaving and Amanda coming home, I was basically attached to my phone and kept a boning knife beside me just in case Max decided to try something again. If even one of them were to be here with me, I'd feel much safer.

"Oh they will. Mr. Vega looked at his phone during class, went pale, and stepped outside and stayed there for like, twenty minutes. When he came back in, he stopped the lecture and just gave us this BS writing assignment to do. I don't know about the others, but I definitely know that Mr. Vega is freaking out." Amanda makes a face. "It's still kinda hard to believe that my teacher hangs out with my Dad. It's weird enough seeing a teacher at a supermarket or at a bar, but seeing him at home? Super weird."

I'm glad Amanda is trying to lighten the mood. I do still feel freaked out by the whole ordeal I went through. "You'll get used to it. If you look past the whole teacher aspect, he's a pretty decent guy."

"That's the thing. I  _can't_ get past the teacher thing. I see him for fifty minutes a day every day. What if he comes over and sees that I'm not working on an essay or an assignment and then hints that I should probably be doing it and then brings it up to you and you hint that I should do it and you and him gang up on me? It's totally weird!"

I don't know where she got that from, but I do see her point. "Amanda, in the time Hugo has been here, has he ever made you work on something you should've been doing?"

Amanda thinks for a minute, plopping down beside me on the couch. "Well, he did see me doing an essay and helped me re-write my thesis. And..." Amanda trails off when I stare at her. "Okay, he hasn't done it yet, but with all the finals and stuff coming up, he might."

"Amanda, please." I take a glance at my phone, seeing a couple more 'I'll be there soon' and 'Hang tight' messages from them. Amanda peeks over my shoulder at the messages and laughs. "Ready to not do anything for the rest of the day? Cuz you know they'll make dinner and clean up for you and make sure you don't have to get up."

She's got a point. The minute they're sure I'm okay, they'll be waiting on me hand and foot. But I don't mind. I need to try and calm down aftet all of that.

* * *

It's Saturday, and Hugo is taking me into town to meet Mat. Mat wants to check out an event going on in town and Hugo normally goes with him since they enjoy some of the same activites is another art lover, so he was definitely down to go see it. Nobody wanted me alone yet, because Max was likely still out there, so they let me tag along, even if it was just for a little while. If I get bored, one of them would escort me to another Alpha to spend the rest of the day with, as long as I had somebody with me. I didn't mind, because I was still worried about Max; I didn't go out without somebody there with me just in case Max tried something funny. Robert assured me he would check around town and see if anyone had seen Max skulking around, Brian offered to help me get this really high-grade security system that he uses, and the Alphas constantly checked in and around the house to make sure no one was able to sneak in. It really comforted me considering that Max held onto the belief that I was a possession of his. He had spent over twenty years tracking me and I have a feeling he wasn't going to give up so soon.

"Where exactly are we going Hugo? Please tell me not the school. I respect you, but I've graded enough papers to know that if I were to meet one of those kids, I'd throw a dictionary at them." 

Hugo laughs. "No Danny. Not the school. For once I was able to go home without any papers to grade. We're going to meet Mat downtown and see an art gallery. He's big on up and comers in the art world."

Something about this seems familiar... "You two better not argue about what the artist is trying to say with his paintings. Let it be left up to interpretation." I don't want to get between Mat and Hugo debating what style the artist used and the time period he was imitating and stuff. They seem to have very different views that tend to clash.

Hugo laughs again. "Don't worry Danny. The artist is actually going to be there. We can ask him what he was trying to portray."

"Do you know the guy? Or did Mat learn about it from one of his friends?" Mat usually finds out about these things through his mutuals. We were going to an outdoor concert in a few days by this really cool indie band one of Mat's music buddies recommended.

"Mat caught wind of the scene through some people at his shop. Apparently, the guy is making himself pretty well known. He just goes by the name Eddie."

"Just Eddie? Wow, such creativity there."

"He's an artist Danny; all his creativity goes into his work. He might not have spared his name any thought when he had all his artwork to think about."

"I refuse to believe that, but alright." Something isn't sitting well in my stomach. It doesn't feel like morning sickness and I don't think I ate anything bad. But it's an insistent wiggling in my gut telling me that I should've stayed home. I can't ignore it; it's growing with each passing minute. 

By the time we get to the place the gallery is at, I can barely stand on my own two feet. The feeling in my gut is so intense that I feel like vomiting. I don't want to embarrass Mat or Hugo while I'm here, but I also know I won't be able to stay for very long, not while I feel so terrible. I was fine earlier, so why do I feel so bad?

Mat is waiting by the door, spotting us almost immediately and making his way over.

"I managed to speak with the artist. Pretty cool guy, really down to earth. He's got a couple of nice pieces up, though one of them he cherishes the most and talks about the most. It's called  _'Searching'_." Mat leads us over to the painting in question, where a large number of people are gathered around to see it. Mat leads us around the side of the crowd so that we can see it a little better. "It's kinda abstract though. I haven't been able to figure out what it is."

Mat is right. I can barely make out what's supposed to be in the picture. It's done-up in a blue background, grey splotches in some areas, and a deep green in others. It looks like there's a guy in the background shyly reaching out his hand, while a predominant hand is reaching towards him. Even though you can't see his expression, the guy in the background kinda looks familiar. Actually, he looks really familiar. Hey, he almost looks like-

"It's supposed to be someone from my past."

Fuck. I know that voice. And something that voice had said to me before.

_"I've become a bit of a celebrity in the art world and have a gallery in a few days."_

Now I remember why this wasn't sitting well with me. Max told me he found me because he had an art gallery. I had forgotten about it because I was so concerned with him breaking into the house. Now the name 'Eddie' made sense. Max's middle name was Edward, but he often when by Eddie when he was trying to woo girls at the library or get out of trouble with girls. 

Mat and Hugo don't seem to notice my rigidness as they turn to Max and smile, shaking hands and chatting over his recent painting. Max, though he's being polite, keeps casting glances my way when Mat and Hugo aren't looking. 

"And old love you can say," Max continues, turning back to his painting. "Lost to me. I've been searching for years now."

"That's real deep man," Mat says with a nod.

That's actually really creepy.

Max gives me what's supposed to be a charming smile, but it only serves to make my stomach churn uncomfortably. "Do you like it?"

No, I hate it. I know it's supposed to be me in that painting."It's uh...nice." Get away from me you creep. "Real...classy." It's disgusting. I don't want to know what other 'inspiration' he got from thinking about me.

"Are you okay?" Mat asked, seeing the look on my face.

"I...th-think...so," I mumble, placing a hand over my mouth to try and swallow back the bile I feel rising in my throat. I have to take a couple of breaths through my nose to calm down, and it works to an extent. But I feel another wave of sickeningly bitter bile in my throat and feel my body heave.

"Is your friend okay?" Max puts his hand on my shoulder in what's supposed to be a friendly gesture, but it only serves to make me cough up something thick and pink. More fluid fills my mouth and leaks out as I cough again.

"Danny-"

"I-I need to go," I interrupt, pushing past Max and running towards the bathroom. I hear calls for me to come back, but I have to get to the bathroom or else I'd vomit all over someone. My stomach clenches painfully, causing me to stumble into the bathroom door, and I'm barely able to catch myself. I don't even think I'll make it to a stall, so I end up grabbing onto the edges of the sink as a gush of warm pink gush is forced out of my mouth. Thick chunks of something that vaguely looks like lunch from earlier splatter against the side of the sink, some hitting the floor at my feet. Another pink wave forced its way out of my mouth, this one making me hunch over the sink and try to spew out the rest of the bile in my throat. Violent waves of vomit slowly went from thick and sticky to thin and mushy and before I knew it, I was coughing violently instead of spewing vile everywhere.

A warm hand on my back slowly rubs up and down, coaxing the rest of the bile out of me. Each heave is a bit drier than the last, until I'm only dry heaving instead of spewing chunks. Someone removes my glasses and wipes the side of my mouth with a paper towel. It seems like one of them chased after me.  "T-Thank you," I choke, spitting up once more. My stomach was still clenching painfully, but it's slowly receding. I don't know this is because of the pregnancy or because of how disgusted I was, but it's almost over.

"Anything for you Danny."

Oh no.

~~~~~

Max twirls my glasses around in his hand while he dabs at my forehead with another paper towel. "I couldn't stand the sight of you so sick. But we should really make sure it's all out." My glasses are carelessly thrown aside and the paper towel discarded. His hips press mine into the sink and am arm wraps arpund my neck. Two of his fingers force their way into my mouth and down my throat, forcing me to gag, but nothing came out. More bile started to rise, but with nowhere to go, it was forced back down. This vicious cycle continued until I was choking on my own vomit. I flail in an attempt to get him off of me, but it doesn't work.

"Nobody is going to take you from me," Max whispers. "Nobody."

That's the last thing I hear before I pass out.

* * *

My throat is killing me. It feels like I gargled broken glass and a couple of pieces are stuck in my throat. My mouth tastes bitter and there's an odd sensation on my tongue that makes me want to spit. Where am I anyway... 

I slowly open my eyes and take a look around the room. All white walls, white bed sheets, static television, and a bunch of machines next to the bed. I must be in the hospital again. I look over to my other side, where Amanda is playing a game on her phone, though she nearly throws it across the room when I place my hand on her arm. "Amanda?"

"Dad! I was so freaked out when Mat told me they rushed you to the hospital! Are you alright?" She looks like she wants to cry; ger eyes have red rims and her voice sounds shaky.

"I remember going to that art show, throwing up, and then Max came into the bathroom and...that's about it." Fear runs through me when I realize that I don't remember much more. Which means that Max could've done anything to be in that time frame from when I passed out to when I came to the hospital. "Amanda, what happened?"

"Mat and Hugo noticed you were gone a little too long and something seemed off about that artist guy, so Hugo went to check on you and Mat called the cops. Hugo found Max before it was too late." Amanda doesn't say it, but I understand exactly what she means. "So he punched the guy and got him in a headlock and held him until the cops came. The guy got arrested for breaking and entering and two charges of attempted rape. Someone tipped them off about when he broke into the house the other day so he's got all of that against him. Of course, they still need a statement from you about what happened when you're up for it." She hands me a glass of water. "Everyone panicked and wanted to go after the guy. I never thought I'd see I'd see Hugo so livid. Actually, I never thought I'd see any of them that way. They were all freaking out thinking the worst. That Max guy started spouting off about how you were his and that he was going to find a way to take you from them, and all kinds of nonsense, and the other Dads tried to tear him apart. It was awesome."

"Amanda, how's the baby? Did anything happen?" I can't remember if Max hit me in the stomach, or if I hit my stomach when I passed out, but I'd be devastated if anything happened to my baby. "Please tell me that the baby is okay."

Amanda shakes her head. "It's alright Dad. The baby is fine. The doctor ran a bunch of tests on you to make sure, and everything is just fine. No injuries or anything."

That's a relief. I thought for sure that Max had done something. "I'm glad. If Max did anything..."

"You'd have a pack of Alphas ready to commit murder, hide the evidence, and have alibis written up for the police."

It's going to be a mess trying to deal with them. "Can you go get them for me? The wait is probably driving them absolutely crazy."

Amanda laughs and stands up. "Alright. Be prepared to get smothered though."

A nurse and two policemen come in as Amanda walks out, the nurse smiling when he sees that I'm awake and the officers standing near the wall. "We're glad to see you awake. I'm just going to check your vitals very quickly and then the officers have a few questions for you. Or would you rather them come back a little later? If you aren't feeling too good, their questions can wait."

"I feel a bit better. We can talk now."

He nods, then asks me a couple of general questions about how I'm feeling before doing a simple check-up on my vitals. He explains that my throat is going to be hurting for a while, since all of the gastric acids from the vomit had been trapped in my throat and caused slight irritation. The worst of it burned the lining of my throat, especially since Max had been holding me in a position where I couldn't expel what was trying to come out. There's going to be a slight bit of swelling, and it would be very difficult to swallow whenever I ate or drank. Anything with citrus in it might burn, so it'd be best to avoid those kinds of things, along with milk. At least until I get a bit better. I ask if I could still drink smoothies, but he said to try and stick with water for the first few days. 

Once the nurse finished and left to get the doctor, who I don't think I need at this point since the nurse told me everything, both officers come over and ask about both instances. The first, when Max broke into the house, I had already told them the day it happened, but I recount it for them anyways. And for the second time, they'd already talked to both Hugo and Mat about what happened, but I had to give them as much information as I could before I passed out. 

As for Max, they'd had a bit of trouble, in the beginning, finding him. This wasn't the first time they were called about him. Apparently, Max had gone around harassing people, to the point where he'd gotten violent with people. The only problem with finding him was that he always wore a big coat and hat, which made it hard for people to identify him. The other problem was that Max had gone by Eddie the entire time he was staying in Maple Bay and kept a low profile, so finding him was very difficult. They were able to find him this time because they'd been patrolling when Mat called them. With all the accounts they had from people and my testimonies, it could be enough to put him away for a long while. Max himself didn't even try to protest; he kept talking about how he wanted me and the officers knew that something must be off with him. According to the police, it would be fairly hard for anyone to believe that Max was sane.

Now that their questions were finished, it was time for me to deal with the Alphas. I knew that they were going to be anxious and worried and frantic when they came in the room. I fact, I think they're going to break down the door in Five...four...three...two...and-

On cue, the door slams open and five very protective Alphas rush into my room and crowd my bed, all reassuring touches and comforting words. They keep talking and crowding and not letting me get a word in to explain what was going on. My voice is too hoarse for me to raise it above all of them, so I can't really talk to them about what's going on. 

"Hey! All of you shut up!" Amanda shouts, clapping her hands together. "Dad hurt his throat. He can't talk very loud, so you guys have to shut it or else you won't know the story."

They calm down almost immediately, moving back a little bit so that I can breathe. They all keep a hover near me, still anxiously buzzing with questions but respectfully waiting for me.

"Thank you Amanda." My voice sounds worse than I thought. A collective wince goes through all the Alphas when they hear my voice, Damien pouring me a glass of water to help soothe my throat. It still hurts when I swallow, but it makes my throat a little better. "That guy was Max Carson. He was an old friend of mine back in high school. We had a project to work on one day and his cousin pinned me and started to molest me. Max came in and I thought he was going to help me, but he told me he was going to share me with Jackie. He claimed he was doing me a favor, that he was making sure no one tried to claim me. They would've gotten away with it, but I managed to get away from them and get home." Max pretended that things were okay when I went to school the next days, and the days after that, but things had definitely changed between us. "The next few weeks, I ignored him and wanted nothing more to do with him. But he didn't take that for an answer. He snuck into my room one night and tied my hands to my bedposts, then gagged me. I couldn't scream for my parents, so Max started to take our clothes off." 

I could feel intense hatred coming from Amanda and the Alphas, all like they wanted to find Max right this moment and murder him. 

"Luckily, my Dad had heard me struggling because he came in with a baseball bat and threatened Max. He was so scared, the idiot fell out the window. I thought he broke his neck but it was just his leg. Ever since then, I started ignoring him and everyone from my old hometown. When I moved, I thought it was the end of everything. But somehow Max found me. He's been trying to track me down since I left. When he found me the other day, he made it clear he was going to continue what he started earlier." 

My throat is killing me at this point and I can't talk anymore. Damien pours me another glass of water which I drain gratefully, wincing as my irritated throat throbbed again. The next few days were definitely going to be rough on my voice. 

"What's gonna happen to him now?" Amanda asks, breaking the brief silence. "Is he going to jail?"

"It's highly likely," Hugo answers, saving me the trouble. "Mat and I were questioned when we arrived. There is a high possibility he's going to face jail time for harassment of multiple victims, charges of aggravated assault, and attempted rape. If anything happens to the baby, he could get charged with murder."

That sends another shiver of fear through me and I place my hand on my stomach protectively. There's a slight flutter beneath my hand, as if my baby is trying to reassure me that I'm alright, but I'm hit with a strong wave of fear and worry at the thought of anything happening to my baby. I'm carrying a precious life within me, and I don't want anything to happen to them. _I could've lost my baby._

Amanda seems to sense my discomfort because she places and hand over mine and gives me stomach a slight pat. "Don't worry Pops. We'll make sure nothing happens to you and the baby."

Slowly, each of the Alphas place a hand over Amanda's until it's a huge awkward pile of hands resting over my baby bump. There's a flutter beneath all of our hands that only I feel, like the baby is happy that all the Alphas are here with us.

"We'll keep you safe Danny."

I don't know who said it, but frankly, I don't care. It could've been anyone of them, but its something that felt like it went without saying. It's reassuring enough that I have all of them beside me. It feels good to know that they all care about me. I immediately feel safer knowing that I have my caring Alphas with me. I feel a small sense of calm knowing they're all beside me.

"Thank you."

It didn't need to be said, but I didn't have enough words to express how thankful I am that I have my Alphas with me. These last few days have been stressful and they make it better. I can feel all the care and love through our joint hands and I feel the baby fluttering with joy. Like they're happy. And in this moment, I'm happy too.

"Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ROBERT TO THE RESCUE ONCE AGAIN!  
> And seeing Danny get attacked made him realize that he actually feels something for him. So yay! Robert's back (kinda) and he's going to do work on himself. Joseph didn't appear (and won't until next chapter ooh), and Lucien now knows the situation because Damien doesn't like hiding things from his son. But Lucien is cool with it. And made a bear!
> 
> Poll is also still open (http://poal.me/6czuzm). Its going to remain open for another five chapters, so people can still vote. The gender of the baby shall be revealed soon as well, as that is a detail I'm definitely going to reveal. 
> 
> Of course, you can always talk to me on Tumblr for any questions, headcannons, or just to talk. Same username as my name here. And with that, I will see you all next chapter!


	7. Telling the Children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We've decided it's time for the children to know. They've been asking a lot of questions and slowly piecing together information, but we don't want to lie to them anymore. Telling them might be hard, but it's something that has to be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A WILD JOSEPH APPEARS IN THIS CHAPTER!  
> Finally, you're curious minds can be sated about where this bastard has been. And the kids get to know about the baby! Sorry this was on huge delay but finals week of course slowed me down and I couldn't focus.

"I was thinking it should be something bright. Like, a bright orange maybe?"

"Orange? Ew. No. Orange is a horrible color."

"Okay, maybe not bright orange, but something in that family? Just a bit deeper?"

"No. Even deep orange is ugly orange. We need to do something unique. Like purple."

"Purple?"

"Yeah. Purple is a royal color. And it has pretty shades. Like, when the sun is going down and you have that nice purple shade in the sky, or at night when the stars are about to come out-oh! We could make a galaxy! Have the stars and constellations all over the walls, have a yellow crib, make our own mobile with moons and stars. I like that idea."

"Or we could it up in green and make a jungle. All kids love jungles. It's neutral for a boy or a girl."

"Or ocean themed! Have some fish, crabs, whales-"

"Absolutely not."

"Why not?"

"Because the ocean and everything in it is evil. I'm not terrifying my child with images of that blue terror. No ocean theme."

"Okay, Pops? You really need to get over this ocean thing."

"It's not a thing Amanda! It's dark and you can't see the bottom and you don't know what's down there!"

"Paah!"

"Thank you River."

"River, don't agree with him. It's not justifiable!"

"You were scared of softballs up until very recently."

"It's not the same!"

 "Mleeh."

I smile down at River. "See? River and I see eye to eye." River smiles back at me and reaches up to pat my cheeks.

Amanda rolls her eyes. "Seriously though, oceans are nothing to be afraid of. I used to go swimming all the time."

"Yeah, in a pool. Where I could see the bottom and knew that there was no danger down there. You can't see the bottom in the ocean. Whales could swallow you."

Amanda doesn't look impressed or convinced, but she just shrugs. "Alright fine. No ocean theme. But the jungle theme is cool too. And the galaxy theme. I'm pretty sure we could pull off something really fancy like a fantasy world or maybe even a big city. We have endless possibilities for the room. Especially since we won't know the gender for another couple of weeks; it's better to stay neutral."

Today is Tuesday, and while all the kids should be in school, the girls had a half-day today that Craig forgot about, and there was a strange explosion in the chemistry lab that Amanda had nothing to do with, so the high school had to be evacuated while the mess was sorted out. Since Craig forgot about the half-day, his call to the sitter was last minute, and he couldn't exactly take them to work with him because he had some really important meetings going on and it wouldn't be ideal if all the girls were there. He had already asked me to watch River for him, which was why she had already been with me when he called about the twins. I told him that I would be fine watching the girls for him today; I was sure Amanda and I could keep all the girls entertained for the day. 

It was a little rough at first. River had been inconsolable at first, bursting into tears the second Craig turned to leave. I had tried my best to console her, even enlisting the help of Arnold, her stuffed Capybara that always seemed to calm her down, but it didn't work. It took twenty minutes before River calmed down, and another fifteen to get her to smile again. Most of the morning was spent in the living room, where I read stories to River while she practiced rolling over. Then, I let her color with large crayons while I cleaned up the living room a little bit. It was just when I was about to feed her that I got the call from Amanda about school, and then from Craig from the girls. I ended up driving down to the school to meet Amanda, then we walked down to the elementary school to meet the girls. The twins were glad that I was going to be taking care of them rather than the sitter, who Briar told me flirted with Craig not and then, so we went home to have some fun. Craig left me some stuff for River to play with, and I was pretty sure I could find something for the twins to do.

Now, we were all out in the backyard, the twins climbing the tree while Amanda and I discussed possible themes for the baby's room. We sat under the awning so that we could watch the girls and make sure they stay out of trouble. 

"What about a sunset theme room? I read somewhere that warm colors help babies feel calm. I could get a couple of the art students to help me," Amanda suggests. 

"That's an idea." We have a notebook with it us that has all the possible colors and themes on it, which is sadly, not a lot. We have about four different themes we like, and only three colors between us that we both agreed on. Sunset theme definitely goes on the list, but that's all we have. "I'll have to ask the others what they like and hope no one argues."

River bangs her hands on the table and screeches. Amanda takes one of her tiny hands and shakes it. "Don't worry River. We'll figure it out before long."

River seems appeased, sticking Amanda's thumb in her mouth. Amanda lets out a screech of her own, but River holds tight to her finger and doesn't let go. Amanda makes a face as River slobbers all over her finger and doesn't let go.

I look over to where the twins are climbing the tree, seeing Hazel tugging on Briar's ankle. Briar slips from the branch she's on, managing to catch herself before she falls out of the tree. 

"Be careful girls!" I call to them. "I don't want either of you to fall!"

"We will!" They call back. Hazel had made another grab for Briar's ankle, but she instead decided to dash up three branches, putting her far above her sister. Briar looks a little put out, but she takes up the challenge and tries to catch up to her sister. The tree isn't exactly the tallest, but it's certainly wide enough for them to explore all the branches.

River yawns, Amanda's finger falls from her mouth in the process, and rubs her eyes sleepily. Amanda wipes her finger off on my pants leg,  It might be about time to put her down for a nap. I fed her before we came out here, she had a bottle, and she worse herself out playing with Amanda. I don't want her cranky, so maybe she can lie down for a while.

"Sleepy River?"

River yawns again, her eyes drooping. Amanda coos, stroking some of River's hair back. River makes a noise at the touch, but settles down and leans into me. Poor baby really is exhausted.

"Should we go into the house?" Amanda asks. "I'll get the twins."

I shake my head. "We can stay out here a little longer. Let the twins burn off all their energy before we go inside for lunch. Then we can watch some movies and make brownies." It was a really nice day out. I probably would've wasted it in the house if I didn't have the girls with me. "Besides, I kinda don't want to put River down." River reaches up with one hand and grabs a fistful of my shirt, wiggles a bit, then nods back off. I hold back the urge to move and disturb the cute baby. I can't risk it. "She'll be alright like this, right? I mean, I don't have to lay her down."

"You just want to keep holding her, don't you?"

"I can't help it," I say quietly. "I just...this just feels right." Some feeling is starting to build and I just want to keep River safe. Holding her in my arms just feels...it feels really nice.

"Looks like parental instinct is already kicking in," Amanda teases. "Pretty soon you'll be making lunches, kissing scratches, and using a baby voice."

Parental instinct huh? Well, with a baby on the way, I'm not surprised. "Well I do need to get used to having a baby around. You're all grown up and I feel a little rusty. It's been years since I've changed a diaper." It was meant as a joke, but I am a bit nervous. Amanda is 18 and I haven't been around another child in a long time. What if I did something wrong, or didn't know how to soothe my baby if they started crying? What if I really didn't know what to do?

Amanda waves a hand dismissively. "You've got six months to re-learn. I'm sure you'll be fine." She smiles down at River, who gives a small sigh and clenches my shirt tighter. "Besides, you seem like you're doing fine with River."

Maybe...

After another few minutes, Briar and Hazel scramble down from the tree and run over to Amanda and I. I don't know how they still have so much energy after running around and climbing a tree, not to mention them wrestling with Amanda earlier. Maybe it's all the athletics they do; it keeps their stamina high.

"Mr. Danny, can we have lunch?" Both girls are panting slightly, and Hazel has leaves all throughout her hair. Briar's hair has come out from the ponytail she had it in and both of them have slight scratch marks on their cheeks.

"Sure. Let's go inside and get you two cleaned up." Being very careful, I slowly stand up and make sure not to disturb River with the motion. "What did you guys want for lunch?"

"I'm down for a pizza. Lots of meat. And cheese." Amanda nods. "What about you?"

Briar and Hazel nod enthusiastically. "And olives and mushroom."

I shake my head. "Amanda, you cannot use the twins as an excuse for pizza."

"Oh come on! I've been suffering pizza withdrawals. Just this once? Please?" She pulls puppy eyes on me, and the twins join in. It should work by all accounts, as Amanda used to use it all the time and it never failed, but I've been building up a perfect defense against puppy eyes. The lip quiver Hazel adds is a nice touch, but it's not working. 

"And we can get onion on it. Just for you."

That would normally work, but not this time. I still can't swallow without pain, and I shouldn't exactly be eating pizza of all things. But...I guess it wouldn't hurt... 

* * *

"Don't tell your dad about this, alright?" Amanda points a breadstick at Briar, then at Hazel. "He's cool and all, but he might get mad if he knew we let you guys have a salty, fattening pizza instead of a salad or a healthy sandwich. Or fruit."

"But onions are healthy," Hazel points out. "So are mushrooms."

"And olives," Briar agrees.

"Yeah, but you have three kinds of meat, a bunch of cheese, and bread sticks, so I think it cancels out all the healthy stuff on it. The only thing you have going is the fact that we're drinking healthy." She and the twins clink their cups together, bright orange globs spilling from the rims of their cups and onto the table. Amanda chuckles nervously and wipes it with a napkin. 

"Well, Dad didn't say we couldn't have pizza," Hazel says. "He just said to behave. And we're behaving."

"I like the way the evil twin thinks." She and Hazel exchange grins while Briar rolls her eyes and reaches for another slice of pizza. I ended up ordering two since Amanda can normally polish off one by herself and the girls seemed really hungry when they came in. Hazel told me that between the two of them, she and Hazel could finish one together, so getting two saved me from anyone claiming they didn't have enough. That, and Amanda told me there was a two-for-one deal, so it was beneficial in the long run to get two.

"Amanda, you and Hazel stay out of trouble, alright? Knowing you, you'd use her for some pranks, and the no one is ready"

"Aw, but think of all the fun pranks we could do. We could put Hazel in one room, Briar in another, then make it seem like Briar is hurt, so when they go get help, Hazel comes out the room like nothing happened and is fine, but when the person goes to the other room, Briar is still hurt and-"

"Maybe it'd be cool to do something like that for Halloween, but for now, no trouble. Please?" Hazel already admitted she was the evil twin, which almost meant she was the twin most likely to play pranks. I couldn't imagine what she and Amanda could get into, and with Briar in the mix, the entire neighborhood was in for trouble. I can only imagine the havoc they could bring about with the baby on the way.

I look down at where River is in her rocker, still blissfully asleep. It took a lot of willpower for me to put River down for her nap; I didn't want to let her go, but I didn't want to eat over her and risk dropping food on her. That, and I knew that the girls needed me and I couldn't hold River the whole time. I'd wake her up  in a little bit so she can eat, since she only takes about a half hour nap according to the twins. She can't eat pizza or anything like that, but Craig assured me that she can eat certain solid foods, so maybe some mashed up fruit and vegetables would be alright for her. And I had to make sure she had Arnold with her while she ate, else she'd refuse to eat until she had him.

"Let's watch a movie after this," Amanda suggests. "Maybe Atlantis?"

"Have you two seen Atlantis?" Probably not. Not everyone appreciates Atlantis the way Amanda does.

The twins shake their head no. "What's Atlantis?"

Amanda gasps, her pizza crust falling from her hand. "What?! You haven't seen Atlantis? That movie's a classic! An A-Plus Disney movie. Seriously, I've never seen a better movie in the years I've been watching Disney. It's one-of-a-kind and doesn't get the credit it deserves."

And now she's started. The girls won't leave this house until they're in love with Atlantis. She did it to Alex and I when she was younger, Alex sucked into it more than I was. I still liked the movie, but Alex absolutely loved it, much to Amanda's joy. Now, everyone she comes in contact with who hasn't seen it has to be educated.

"Alright then. After we clean up, we'll get a movie going, most likely Atlantis."

Amanda nods. "I'm gonna set you kids straight." 

* * *

"That was the greatest movie ever!"

And it begins.

"See? I told you! Underrated!"

The twins were absolutely enraptured by Atlantis, huddled together with Amanda near the TV to watch Atlantis. Amanda immediately swore me into silence while the movie was playing and set up a fort for her and the twins to watch the movie in. There were a bit of tears during it, mostly from Amanda who tears up every time we get to the Crystal Chamber scene, but the girls took it rather well. River woke up a few minutes into the movie, but also she seemed interested as soon as she laid eyes on it, so I ended up feeding her on the couch and doing my best to keep everything clean so that she could watch the movie too. River didn't even need Arnold while she ate; she held him, but her grip on him was loose. Maybe there is something about Atlantis that just captures you...

"What else do you guys want to do?" I ask. The twins apparently have a tendency to get really bored, and I don't want them getting so bored they cause trouble. "Do you want to go back outside? Or stay inside and watch another movie?"

"Is there a sequel?" Hazel asks excitedly.

"The sequel is okay." Amanda says. "Not exactly the magic of the first one, but still good."

A very harsh smell assaults my nose and I look down at a giggling River. "Okay, you girls go ahead and start the movie. I'm gonna go get River changed."

River is all giggles as I lead her back to my room and set a towel down for her, gently placing her down. Changing diapers was never really a problem for me; sure it didn't smell the greatest and sometimes you got splashed, but there wasn't anything truly bad about it. And River didn't fuss during the process, simply looking around my room curiously. And it was good that I could practice things like diaper changing and feedings this early on. Amanda wasn't difficult as a baby but there was no telling what this new baby would be like, so I wanted to get used to having one around.

We're finished relatively quickly and River is still smiling and laugh, though now she's a clean baby. The diaper is tossed into my bathroom garbage can and I wash my hands before taking River back to the living room. The girls are still invested in the movie, though not as interested as they were in the first one. Neither is River, who is in a much more playful mood after she ate and got changed. She plays with my glasses and makes funny faces at me, which I mimic back at her, letting her stand in my lap and bounce on her feet. She's very energetic when she's loose, so I can only imagine her when she's running around with her sisters. Or with a younger sibling toddling after her...

River squirms in my arms and coos, reaching for my glasses once again. This time, she's successful in taking them off and has no qualms about throwing them across the room, giggling when she does so. She innocently looks up at me like she didn't chuck my glasses to the other couch. "River, I kinda need those to see."

River giggles as retrieve my glasses from the other couch and put them on the end table. Instead of sitting back up, I stretch out across the couch and let River rest on my chest. She drops onto her tummy and sticks her thumb into her mouth, turning her attention back to the movie. I don't know where we are in the plot, seeing as Amanda doesn't like this version as much as the last and therefore I wasn't roped into watching it thousands of times, but it doesn't hold her attention for very long before River starts grabbing at my nose again. I retaliate by pretending to take hers.

"Got your nose!"

River squeals.

We get so into our little games that I don't realize the movie is over until Amanda taps my shoulder. "What is it Panda?"

"The movie ended. We wanted to know if we could make those brownies now."

Oh yeah. I promised we could do that. "Of course." I maneuver River around and sit up." Is there a particular kind you want to make?"

Briar and Hazel look at one another, then at Amanda and begin whispering. I have no idea what about, but the conversation sounds intense. River chews on her fist while she and I watch them, waiting for their judgement. Briar and Hazel shake their head and few times, Amanda nods, and they whisper once more before they all collectively nod. Amanda clears her throat and turns to me. "We have unanimously decided on cream cheese brownies."

Wow. I think I've only made those once, and that was at Amanda's tenth birthday. "I might be able to manage that, but we'll have to make the cream cheese from scratch."

"Yes!" All the girls cheer, and River screeches along with them. With so many helpers, this should be pretty fun. 

* * *

Briar and Hazel are just like Carmensita was, eagerly waiting for some instruction on what to do. They'd hadn't made any sweets from scratch before, so this was a new experience for them. Amanda had been beside me in the kitchen plenty of times before, so she pulled out all the ingredients for normal brownies and took out cream cheese, then waited for my instruction. 

"Alright, so first we're gonna make the batter for the normal brownies, but we're gonna save a little bit for when we make the cheesecake topping." I don't have a high chair for River, but Craig did leave me his carrier so I could still move around with her. "Can one of you help me strap River in?"

"I'll do it." Hazel runs to go get the straps while Amanda pulls out a couple of bowls and my measuring cups. Briar takes River from me and holds her for me so that Hazel can strap everything in properly. River squirms again when we strap her back in, but she settles against my chest and kicks her feet.

"Since we're making everything from scratch, it'll take a bit longer than normal. But I think making from scratch is a lot more fun."

The girls work fluidly with Amanda to make the brownies, Amanda doing the mixing, Briar measuring everything out, and Hazel cracking the eggs and adding everything in. I don't have much to do since the cream cheese has to soften, but I have my hands full starting the cheesecake batter and stopping River from eating what she isn't supposed to. Too much sugar was bad for a baby and there was no way I was letting River get a tummy ache from eating any of the batter. She reaches for the spoon I'm mixing with, which would be harmless if not for the fact that it's coated in batter.

"Hang on River. I'll get you a snack in a little while." River makes another grab for the spoon, but when it's too far out of reach, she settles for craning her neck to see what the girls were doing.

They're almost done with the batter, dumping a cup of chocolate chips into the mix. I give Amanda a look when I notice that almost the entire bag of chocolate chips we just bought are now missing. "Amanda?"

"Mmh?"

"Where did all the chocolate chips go?" She has suspicious stains on the corner of her mouth.

"Um...in the batter?" She gives me a shrug, discreetly trying to wipe chocolate stains from her face. Briar and Hazel quickly do the same.

"Really?"

"Yep. They're all in there." She shakes out the cup she's using to dislodging the last of the chocolate chips from the bottom. "See?" The twins nod along with her.

I decide to leave it alone. It won't hurt anyone. 

"Here River. Wanna taste?" I put a  _very_ small amount of batter on the tip of a spoon and hold it up to River. She leans up and grabs the spoon, slobbering all over it as she shoves it in her mouth. She makes a very pleased noise and smiles very widely, waving the spoon around.

"I take that as a good sign." 

Since I have a bit more practice with it, Amanda lets me pour the cheesecake topping over our first tray, and swirl our remaining batters together. Once I'm satisfied and the tray is set, the girls turn to me for the next instructions.

"Now we clean up and wait for them to bake."

"And we've got a long wait," Amanda says sadly.

"Thirty five minutes is not that long Amanda."

"It kinda is Pops."

It kinda is. "Alright. So who gets the cheesecake bowl, who gets the brownie bowl, and who gets the spoons?"

Amanda grabs the brownie bowl and sprints away before the girls can decide. Hazel stares after her, but hands Briar the brownie spoon while she takes the cheesecake spoon for herself. They take turns licking their respective spoons, then switching to let the other taste. River whines at being denied any batter to eat, but I let her have another tiny taste so she doesn't cry. Which leaves the rest of the cheesecake batter for me.

"Baking is a lot of fun," Briar says once she and her sister finish with their spoons. "We should definetly do this again."

"Yeah. But next time, we make something with ten layers!" Hazel says excitedly. 

"Ten layers? That seems a little much. Besides, the most I've ever done was about five." And I don't think I can do that again. Amanda swears she went into a coma because of it. Then again, she did eat more than half of it, so I understand why. "We could try it one day. If your dad would even let me pump taht much sugar into you guys."

"We could make it healthy," Hazel points out. "Or, better idea: he doesn't have to know."

"You think a lot like Amanda; it's a little scary."

"Thank you."

Speaking of Amanda, she returns to the room with a totally clean brownie bowl. And I mean, totally clean. There's not one trace of chocolate in the bowl. "Amanda..."

"Oh come on Dad. The batter is better than the actual dessert." She sets the bowl in the sink. "But, that doesn't mean I don't want actual dessert. Because I do. I haven't had these brownies in a long time."

We decided to go ahead and clean up, seeing as though we made a bit of a mess. I let the girls fight over the last of the chocolate chips while I clean up. River squeals at all the bubbles from the suds and eagerly reaches up to play with them. I let her amuse herself with them as much as she can before I have to drain the sink and dry all the bowls.

"What do you guys want to do now?" Amanda asks. "We have a while to kill."

Before anyone can answer, Craig texts me to let me know that he'll be home in an hour and that his meetings ran much longer than he had expected them too, but he'd be able to take the girls home. It's a little sad, since I want to spend more time with them, but I'm sure I'll have another chance with them. "Girls, your dad is gonna be here in a hour. I think we should start getting your stuff together."

As expected, all of the girls groan, River blowing a raspberry. "Can't we stay?" The twins chorus. "Please?"

"I wish you guys could, but you have softball practice tomorrow and work to finish. Maybe I'll ask your dad to let me pick you guys up after school and we can watch the greatest movie of all time?" Craig would probably be a little wary at first, but I doubt he'd protest too much.

"Dad, you and I both know that Atlantis is a thousand times greater than Mulan. Don't lie to them."

"Amanda, I can respect the fact that you have an opinion, and I'm not knocking you for having one, but it's just not the right one."

* * *

The brownies are finished and cooled just in time for the girls to have one. They're immediately in love, begging me to let them take the tray home. Amanda has already had three and is starting on her fourth, I've already had two, and the girls have had one each. I gave River a very small crumb off of one, which seemed to make her happy. But I can't give her much because I really don't want her to have a tummy ache and I know you can't give too many sweets to a baby.

"Dad, they don't get treats like this. Maybe spoiling them once wouldn't be too bad." Amanda doesn't want to share, and I see it on her face, but I do know that she's right. The twins probably don't get too many sweets with how fit crazy Craig is.

"I know. Which is why I'm cutting these for us, and they can have the rest."

"YES!" The twins slap high fives and River screams happily.

"How are you gonna convince Craig? Isn't he all into fitness and junk? He'd never go for it."

"I can probably convince him." I'm pretty sure I can convince him anyways. I used to do it all the time back in college, maybe I still have some of that charm.

It's only a couple minutes later when Craig unlocks the door. At this point, the girls have a small container each in their hands, all their toys in their respective bags and put away. All of River's toys are away, her bottles packed, and I took off her carrier so I could just hold her. She's calm now, chewing on her fist again, and I doubt she'll stay awake for much longer.

"Hey dude," Craig greets, giving me a quick hug. "How was your day? The girls weren't trouble were they?"

"Not at all. River barely fussed today and the twins were angels."

"We watched the greatest movie ever!" Briar says.

"And we climbed the big tree outside!" Hazel adds.

River makes an excited noise in agreement, kicking her feet.

"Sounds like a full day." He eyes the containers in their hands. "What are those?"

"We made brownies today and I told the girls that they could take some of them home. And before you say it," I interrupt before he can protest. "A couple of brownies won't be so bad. And it's not like they'll eat them all in one sitting." I look at the girls, sitting oh so innocently on the couch. "At least, I hope they don't. Girls?"

"We promise!" They agree, nodding rapidly.

Craig rubs his neck, unsure. "Bro, I'm really not sure..."

"Please Craig? I promise this won't be an all the time thing. They worked really hard and helped me a lot in the kitchen."

Craig looks between all of us, then nods slowly. "Alright, but one per day girls."

"Thanks Dad!"

Craig turns to me and shakes his head. "I hope this doesn't turn into an all the time thing. They'll be begging for sweets all the time."

"That's my master plan: make all the children love me by loading them with sugar, turn them against their parents, then make an army of small, chocolate loaded children and take over the world. It's fool-proof."

"Until all the sugar wears off," Craig teases.

"At that time, I'll have even more desserts. I'm gonna start a revolution."

We can't help but laugh at that. I know it's ridiculous, but he looked stressed when he came in; I want to cheer him up.

"Is everything okay Craig? You look...upset."

Craig turns to the twins, who are watching TV, and Amanda, whose on her phone. "All the meetings did not go the way I wanted them to. I managed to work out some deals, but I had to make sacrifices I would've preferred to keep. And I was distracted most of the day thinking about..." he gestures to my stomach. 

"Do you want to tell them now? While we have their attention?" Maybe if we did it while they were in a good mood, their reaction would be better.

"Do you think we should? I mean, how would we explain the...other thing?"

I grab Craig's hand in mine and give it a squeeze. "We can just...talk it out with them and try it carefully."

"Carefully..." Craig squeezes my hand in return. "We can do that." 

We decide to sit on the couch and turn the TV down a bit. "Girls, there's something we need to talk about," Craig begins.

"We know Dad. No more pretending to be one another at school," Hazel says, rolling her eyes.

"No, not about that. Remember a couple of days ago when you asked if Danny was my boyfriend?" Craig looks the slightest bit embarrassed and I can feel my cheeks get a little hot as well. 

"Yeah. You always want to hang out with him and keep texting him," Briar points out. 

"Well...I've been spending so much time with him because..." Craig looks over at me.

"I'm having a baby."

As expected, the girls are silent for a moment before they crowd around me and peer at my stomach, talking much faster than Craig and I can understand. They look between Craig and I as they fire off question after question, asking me for every detail from gender to what the room is going to look like. I'm not sure where to even begin answering them and it doesn't look like I can get them to slow down enough for me to answer.

"Girls, hold on," Craig says, holding up his hands. "Slow down a little. There's still something else."

This was the hard part. How exactly do you tell children that you don't know the baby's father? Would they even understand what that meant? Well, the least I can do is try. "So, you know how most babies have two parents?"

The girls nodded.

"Well...my baby only has me for now." This was not coming out the way I wanted it to. It sounded even more confusing. And looking at how the look on their faces, the girls are just as confused by this explanation. "For a while, I won't know who my baby's other parent is." It's better than telling them that I slept around.  _That_ would bring up questions I really didn't want to answer.

"Huh?" Briar tilts her head a bit. 

"That just means the baby can't decide," Hazel shrugs. "So she isn't sure whether or not she wants us as a family." She leans close to my stomach and whispers. "But pick our dad. He's really cool."

Briar leans in as well. "Yeah. He'll carry you on his back and lift you up all the time and it'll be fun. We'll teach you all kinds of sports!"

The girls whisper to my stomach all the great things about choosing Craig for a dad while he and I relax. I was a bit concerned since the girls seem a bit older than Daisy or Carmensita, and I thought they would've figured out that something was up, but they took it rather well. I do worry about how this'll go down the line, when the baby is actually born. And I worry about this with the Alphas too. Everyone is going to be so excited up until the baby comes, and then things might change once that happens. What if the kids start to resent me? I don't want that to happen either. They all seem so lively and unique, and I do want to know all of them better, regardless of who we choose in the end.

"Alright girls. It's getting a bit late. We should start getting home. Practice tomorrow, remember?"

"Awwww. Can't we stay?" 

Craig shakes his head sadly. "Sorry girls. We've gotta get going. Maybe another time?"

The girls look at me hopefully, and I nod to them. "Of course."

"Yes!" Once more, they break into cheers along with River, who sleepily kicks her feet. They make sure they have all their stuff together, also making sure that they're brownies are securely in their bags, before getting up to give Amanda a hug, and then me. River gives a sleepy coo as I finally hand her over to Craig. My arms feel empty the moment he takes it and It takes all my willpower not to take her back. Craig gives me a hug of his own, taking care not to squish River. "I'll check on you tomorrow. Make sure you get a good rest."

"I will. And don't be afraid to ask for a brownie or two; they'll be worth it."

Craig chuckles. "Maybe half of one." He gives me another hug. "Goodnight Danny."

"Goodnight Craig."

Amanda stands and stretches once the door is locked. "That was a lot of fun. We should have them over more. I wouldn't mind taking them to their games or hanging out. They're pretty cool kids."

"They are cool kids. And I will talk to Craig about letting me spend a day or two with them, like we did today." I would pick them up after school if it made things easier on Craig. I had free time during the day and I wasn't doing much. I could babysit River for him and maybe help the kids after school. All of the kids actually. Maybe I should work something out with the other Alphas...

Exhaustion creeps up on me out of nowhere and I feel a yawn leave my mouth. "I think I'm gonna turn in early Amanda. Do you mind cleaning up the kitchen for me? Please?"

Amanda nods. "No probs Pops. I'll be out here watching TV for a while if you need anything." She gives me a hug. "Night Pops."

"Night Panda."

* * *

 My alarm going off wakes me out of my sleep. I can't remember what day of the week it is, but I still need to get up and have breakfast. I think I went to bed too early last night and didn't eat because my throat is parched and my stomach is killing me. Amanda must've already left for school by now, and I really hope she didn't choose to skip today. She's been doing really well in school and I'm proud of her for doing her best to get her grades up. She must really want to get into her dream school.

And speaking of my daughter, she actually left me a nice breakfast on the stove, complete with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and a little note.

_Pops,_

_I know you've been really tired lately so I made you breakfast for a change. Hope you enjoy it!_

_Love,_

_Manda Panda_

That is so sweet of her; she even signed the card with a cute panda drawing. She must've gotten up an hour earlier to make all of this for me. And it's exactly what I need this morning. I went to bed so early last night that I feel drained. In a manner that's so unlike me, breakfast is absolutely devoured in a matter of minutes. The kitchen is entirely clean when I'm finished, leaving me with only my plate to wash. Amanda really did take care of everything this morning, even tidying up from last night. But this also leaves me another day of doing absolutely nothing. The house is spotless thanks to Amanda making sure to clean up after herself, there's enough stuff in the fridge and cabinets so that I don't get hungry, and the entire pantry is stocked so I don't have to go shopping, and I've watched all the daytime television I can stand. I'm not allowed to go out by myself anymore, not without company, but I just can't. I know Maple Bay is supposed to be safe, but I can't take any risks with the baby and after the Max fiasco, I don't want to risk anything. Still, being cooped up in the house was not something I wanted to do all the time.

Now that I think about it, Mat did say I could hang out at the Coffee Spoon if I wanted. He wouldn't be able to entertain me per say, but it was better than hanging around the house. I could probably take a couple books with me that I haven't got around to reading and just relax there. The music was nice and though I couldn't drink any coffee, Mat would make sure I was alright.

_hey Mat, do you mind if I hang out at the Coffee Spoon today? daytime television is the worst_

**_come on by! havin' another slow day. be nice to have some company_**  

I make sure to take a couple of snacks in a backpacks, healthy ones since I've been eating too many cookies lately, and pack four books with me to read. Once I'm sure I have everything, I arm the security system and head out.

* * *

The Coffee Spoon only has two patrons, one asleep in the corner while the other has a pile of baked goods in front of him that he's devouring. Mat is slicing cake at the counter, looking up and smiling when he sees me. “There you are. How was your morning?"

"Pretty good. Amanda made me breakfast and no morning sickness. How was yours?"

He shrugs. “The early morning rush was the same, but it died down almost as soon as it started. It’ll probably pick up again around twelve or one when people go on lunch.” He gives me a grin. “So daytime television?”

”It’s literally the worst. If it’s not soap operas, it’s cartoons and I have been boycotting _Young and Lovely_ ever since they replaced Michael’s character. I mean, seriously? This new guy is doing a horrible job and they just killed Michael in the dumbest way! That’s bad writing.”

Mat chuckles, placing a top over the case. “Let me make us something to drink real quick. I want to hear more about _Young and Lovely_.”

I go over to our couch (and yes, our couch. It became the regular spot Amanda and I sat in every time we came in, and now Mat knew we'd always be over there every time we came in. And yes, I have 100% accepted the fact that it's better than our couch) and patiently wait for Mat to finish. It looks like we'll have about two hours before Mat has to really get to work, but it'll be enough time to ask him what I was thinking about.

Mat comes over with a Fiona Apple Juice for me and a Iced T for him, along with a few pieces of coffee cake. Since I just had breakfast, I'm not famished, so I only take a couple of bites before I'm finished with it.

"So,  _Young and Lovely_?" Mat asks with a grin.

"It's this soap opera I got into a couple weeks back and they decided to kill of the main character in the dumbest way, replaced him with some  _guy_ and his on-screen wife immediately fell for him right after the funeral. So I'm not watching it anymore."

"Didn't think you were one for soap operas," Mat points out.

"I'm not, but it was either risk watching cartoons all day or soap operas. And while I love cartoons, they tend to show re-runs too often."

Mat chuckles lightly, but then gets serious. "So, I have something to ask you."

"Go ahead."

"Do you...well, do you think we can tell Carmensita about the baby? I want to, but I wanted to run it by you first because I don't want to do anything to make you angry or upset, and it is your baby so it's up to you how you want to approach this, but I wanted to make sure..." he trails off when he sees me grinning at him. "I'm doing that thing again, aren't I?"

"It's alright Mat. And yes, I was thinking about telling all the kids about it. At least, I want to tell them all separately. I thought about doing it together, but I think it'd be better one on one." I want to be able to handle all questions they might have, and it might be the slightest bit overwhelming to do it all together. I'm not sure how I'd handle it if all the kids started rioting. "We can tell Carmensita this afternoon. She comes by the shop after school, doesn't she?"

"Yeah. To do her homework and chill. Are you sure you want to tell her so soon though?"

"Of course I'm sure." I was thinking about it ever since I told the twins. "If I get any bigger, they'll either figure out that I'm fat or that I'm pregnant. I'd much rather get it out now before I get huge and they have even more questions. It'd be a lot more difficult to answer questions at that point."

"True. I guess I'm just a little worried. Carmensita is smarter than she lets on. I haven't had  _the talk_ with her yet, but I know she'd eventually figure out that something wasn't adding up. I don't like the idea of lying to her."

I can see his point. I've already been through a lying fiasco with Amanda, and I don't want to go through that ever again. "I know. But I know Damien managed to tell Lucien and he took it about as well as he could, and Craig and I managed to tell the girls yesterday and they took it well. Maybe Carmnesita won't take it so badly." I've been getting a little scared lately just thinking about one of the children reacting badly. Just as scared as I was when it came to telling the Alphas. 

Mat takes a sip of his tea and sits back. "Yeah, hopefully." Then he turns and grins at me. "So, tell me about this new guy on _Young and Lovely_."

"Oh he is the absolute worst! Okay, so when he gets introduced, it's at a funeral of all things..."

* * *

I had just finished my second book when I look up and notice Carmensita walk into the Coffee Spoon, spotting her Dad at the counter. But he's busy with a customer so he waves at him before maneuvering around to find somewhere to sit. The shop is packed at this point, with the afternoon rush not slowed down since one this afternoon. I'm surprised Mat had time to pull away from the customers to keep getting drinks for me with how busy he was, but he managed. 

I wave over to Carmensita and gesture for her to come sit. She spots me almost immediately and smiles, making her way over. "Afternoon Mr. Danny."

"Hey Carmensita. How was school?"

She shrugs. "It was okay. Nothing really exciting happened today. Just tests and homework and boring stuff. A bunch of teachers telling us to get ready for high school or whatever How was yours?"

"I managed to finally get to a book series I've been neglecting. And your dad kept me entertained for a while too, so pretty exciting for me."

Carmensita smiles. "I'm not surprised. Dad really likes you; he talks about you all the time at home. It's cute."

That makes me blush a little. "I really like your Dad too."

"It's just not cool that he keeps asking me about memes for him to send to you. Like, he gets them, but he interested in really old memes. It's not that they aren't funny anymore, but they kinda get buried under all the new ones." She makes a face and I can't help but laugh. I am totally lost when it comes to memes, so they're pretty hilarious when Mat sends them to me. I don't mind the influx of memes in the morning.

"Well, I'm not hip to meme culture, so they're new to me."

"I can teach you if you want. But you need to know that memes are constantly advancing. A meme we might discover today won't be funny tomorrow," she explains. "Anything can be a meme, but not everything can be a meme."

I am already lost.

"Sweetheart, are you trying to explain meme culture again?" Mat sets down another apple juice for me, two muffins, and an Iced T for Carmensita. "Don't overwhelm him with it. You get a little intense with your memes."

"If you wanna live in this day and age, you've gotta know your memes. They're gonna rule the world one day and I can't let you two get left behind," Carmensita says with a nod. 

"Well, Amanda is coming once she finishes an after school project, so maybe you two can put together a crash course for us." Amanda's already been trying to teach me about memes lately but it isn't working. Maybe with Carmensita's help, they'll help me figure out this whole meme thing.

Or not. I'm still stuck on 'o shit whaddup'. What does that even mean? Who is dat boi?!

Carmensita takes another bite of her muffin and nods again. "Sure. Dad totally needs one; You don't even want to know how ignorant he can be," she says with an eye roll.

"Wow. Wow. Just throwing me under the bus there, aren't you hun?" Mat holds a hand to his chest as if he's hurt. "I'm trying, does that count for anything?"

"You are trying, I'll give you that."

I'm reminded so much of Amanda right now it's a little creepy. "You and Amanda are a little too similar. It's a little worrying."

"We have a lot in common. We're both awesome, both have Dads who aren't quite uncool not quite cool, and we both love memes. We may as well be sisters." 

Mat gives me a slightly panicked look at those words, a look I try to return with something a little calmer. This might've opened up the conversation for what we needed.

"Well...maybe not you and Amanda will be sisters..." It's the easiest way I can breach the topic.

Carmensita doesn't catch on. She takes another bite of her muffin and a sip of her tea, probably thinking that I was just playing around. Mat holds his breath, probably waiting for Carmensita's reaction, but she doesn't have anything to say. Maybe it was the wording, but she doesn't seem like she caught what I was trying to say.

"Wait a minute..."

Neve rmind, there it is.

"If Amanda and I won't be sisters..." she gives a huge gasp and turns wide eyes to me. "You're having a baby?!" Then she turns to Mat. "Wait, did you know?! Are you two together?!"

A couple of people look our way curiously, probably wondering what all the yelling was about, but they turn back when Mat waves them away. "We're...close," Mat answers calmly. "And yes, Danny's having a baby."

That part was easy, but the next was going to be harder. Carmensita wasn't that young, maybe about 11 or 12, but she was fairly smart. Mat said he hadn't had  _the talk_ with her yet, but her reaction to the next part was going to be difficult.

"There's something else you need to know." This part is entirely up to me, so whatever backlash I get, I'll take it. "See, the baby might be a brother or sister to someone else in the cul-de-sac too. I...don't know at this point." 

"You don't know? Like, the baby doesn't have another parent yet?"

"Yeah, exactly that. I won't find out for a while."

"Ah. That means your close to a lot of people, right?"

"Y-Yeah..."

It stings the tiniest bit to hear that, but I know she doesn't mean it in an insulting way. It does serve to remind me of what I did, something I'm still having trouble coming to terms with it. Yes, it happened and we're all dealing with the consequence, but I'm still having issues accepting it. Everything is just so much more difficult now with this development. And in another couple of months, it'll be even harder when the baby's parentage is revealed.

I just...still haven't processed it all yet.

"Well, the baby probably has a lot of cool people to choose from. And my Dad."

"Hey!"

"Just kidding. But the baby is gonna be cool. They have Amanda as a cool big sister after all."

Mat laughs. "Don't forget their really cool Dad."

"Yeah, this baby is gonna be triple cool!"

I'm...relieved right now. Now that I've spoken to Carmensita, I just have Daisy and Ernest to talk to. And I'm a little worried about both of them. I don't know how Daisy might react, and Ernest might be especially rebellious to the news. Maybe my luck will hold up.

* * *

"Amanda! Hurry up or we'll be late for our picnic!"

"I'm coming! Just gotta grab my camera!"

Since Daisy and Amanda had so much fun, we decided that having a picnic once every week would be good for them. Amanda got to take nature pictures for her portfolio and Daisy got to run around with her and Maxwell and get to be a kid for once. It gave me time to be outside a little more with Brian so we could watch the clouds.

"Got it!" Amanda comes running in with her camera, and has changed into some old clothes that she doesn't mind getting dirty. "Let's go! Daisy and I are gonna check out this cool den we found."

"Alright, but be careful."

Amanda and I make the walk to the park, discussing baby room colors. No pastel pinks or light blues, but something just nice. Amanda thinks a nice green would be nice, and I'm caught between purple and beige. I definitely have to bring it up with everyone soon and get to work on the room. It'll be a little cramped, but I think we can manage.

Maxwell runs up to us the minute we set foot in the park, running in circles around us and barking excitedly. Daisy is right on his heels, throwing her arms around Amanda in a hug. "Hi Amanda!"

"Hey Daisy! Ready to check out that den?"

"Yeah! It looked like it belonged to an animal of some sort, but it's abandoned now."

"Let's get some food in us first before you two go exploring,"  I say before they run off. "That way you can take all the pictures you want and run around with Maxwell later."

"Sounds good to me."

Brian is sitting in our usual spot up on the knoll, the blanket spread and a few dishes set out on the blanket. He pats the spot beside me and gently takes the basket from me. "There you guys are. Daisy was getting impatient."

Daisy blushes. "Not that impatient. But we don't know who else discovered that den, and I want to check it out before other people come by and poke around."

Brian pulls out the few dishes I made, since he insisted we should each make half, and set them up around the blanket. Daisy sits beside Amanda, Maxwell laying down between them and eagerly waiting for his own food. Because he knows that one of us, probably all of us, will feed him. Everyone takes a plate and fills it with food, contributes a portion to Maxwell, and we all dig in. Daisy and Amanda strike up a conversation about the animal den and how Maxwell might be able to sniff out whatever might've made it while Brian and I sit in comfortable silence and listen to them talk. The baby isn't fluttering around as much today as they have been the past few days, but every now and then I'll feel a light flutter.

When the girls finish, Amanda makes sure she has both her cameras, since she wanted to take pictures in both color and black and white, before they head out to explore. It leaves Brian and I with clean-up, though Brian handles that himself so that I don't have to. The blanket is cleaned up and Brian and I lay back and relax, once again watching the clouds.

"You think the girls will be alright out there?" Brian asks quietly.

"I think so. Amanda knows better than to go too far away and she'll make sure nothing happens to Daisy. I'm sure they'll be fine. And they have Maxwell with them; he'll probably fight off anyone or anything that goes after them."

Brian chuckles. "Yeah. Maxwell once got into a little scrap with a raccoon that wandered too close too the house. Terrified the poor thing too."

"Then they should be fine out there. Plus, Amanda likes to kick first, ask questions later."

Brian and I laugh again before we go silent. I fight to keep myself awake, because with a full stomach and how relaxed I feel, I'm seconds away from dozing off. I've been doing that way too much lately. It's a wonder that I sleep like a log at night and still feel tired the next day.

"So...I may have let is lip to Daisy that we need to talk," Brian mentions, snapping me from my dose. "I hope that was okay."

He did? Well, I don't really mind. This is a serious talk we all need to have. "Yeah, that's fine. I've been bringing it up to the other kids. I've decided that it'll be easier to come out with it now rather than wait until I'm eight or nine months and just dropping it on them." 

"You make a good point. She's just a tad bit perspective. She picked up that your scent was changing and worried that something was wrong."

Cautiously, I give myself a sniff. Maybe it's because it's my own natural scent, but I don't smell anything off about me. Then again, I didn't smell it when Damien pointed it out, so maybe I'm just really used to it by now. "I don't smell anything."

"It's definitely different," Brian says. "It's...heavier, but not really? I don't know how to describe it. I know it's your scent, but in a way it doesn't completely smell that way. Someone who doesn't know you that well wouldn't pick up on it, but I can tell. And Daisy's been a little worried that means you're getting sick."

That made sense. I remember Damien saying something like that a couple weeks ago when he confronted me about the pregnancy. I hadn't picked up on it back then either and I didn't know it changed so much now. I think Alex said the same thing when I was pregnant with Amanda, only my scent was much stronger back then. "I see. I still have to tell her."

We relax back near the tree again while Amanda and Daisy finish playing. Maxwell went with them while they were exploring, so it's just the two of us right now. Brian wraps his arm around me and pulls me close to him, where I can lay my head on his shoulder. A couple of parents come by and take their kids home for the evening, while teenagers still mill around the parking hanging out. A couple of joggers pass by, but other than that, the park is beginning to quiet down. The sun is starting to set, paint the sky in hues of red, orange, and a couple hints of purple. Now that I'm staring at it, I can definitely see these colors in the baby's room. I don't think we could duplicate the exact shades, but it is something nice to fall asleep to.

I think Brian dozes off beside me because his breathing evens out completely and his thumb stops rubbing my shoulder. His arm is still tight around me but he's motionless other than his chest moving. He looks a lot softer this way, and I can see the deep laugh lines on his face from his constant cheerful attitude and the slight shagginess of his beard. A few strands of silver lay nestled between some of the strands, but you couldn't tell unless you were this close to him.

Well, since Brian is taking what seems like a well deserved nap, I can stay awake in case the girls need us. He seems tired, and I nap a little bit too much for my liking.

The sun has dipped a little lower when the girls finally come running up to us, covered in dirt, dust, and moss. Maxwell's coat is dirty and he has grass all over his snout, but he looks just as happy as the girls do. "How did the den hunting go? You two were gone for a while." 

"It turned out to be an old fox's den!" Daisy says excitedly. "I could tell by the structure and the bedding on the floor of the den, and there was some hair caught on brambles near the entrance that looked really similar. Though, then den has been vacant for quiet some time now. The wood near the entrance is really weak from exposure to the elements, the dirt was too hard to be fresh and all the bones from its prey are dust. It could be up to a year old, maybe longer."

Amanda holds up a bunch of pictures of the den. "I'm gonna help Daisy make a sick project about it. She's got an animal science project for class and the den was just super cool that I couldn't pass up an opportunity to get some pics. They're gonna look great in my room."

"That's interesting you guys. So the fox isn't around?" I know they said the den was empty, but the fox could've easily made another one somewhere close.

"It's not very likely. Foxes don't like conflict and the park and all the people around could've scared it off."

"Wow Daisy, you really know your stuff." I'm impressed by how observant she is, and how knowledgeable.

Daisy blushes. "J-Just well read. I like learning." She fumbles with her fingers and nervously looks up at me. "But there is something I wanted to ask you about."

"Go ahead Daisy." It's probably what Brian was telling me about earlier.

"I...I noticed something off about your scent and I was worried that something was wrong." She looks between Amanda and I. "There's...nothing wrong...right?"

"No, nothing's wrong Daisy. I'm fine." As fine as I can be with the nausea, headaches, dizziness, vomiting, and cravings. 

"Oh!" Daisy brightens, all traces of worry vanished. "So, you're not sick?"

"No Daisy. I have morning sickness, but that's normal." I don't expect Daisy to put two and two together but I'm not sure whether or not she studied reproduction yet. I don't think she has at this point; when I was younger we didn't learn about any of that until middle school.

"Morning sickness?" Daisy looks to Amanda for an answer.

"It happens when you're having a baby," Amanda supplies helpfully.

Daisy brightens up again. "You're having a baby!" Then she gasps. "That's why your scent was so different! Because of the baby!"

"Yeah. I'm having a baby in a couple months." Her enthusiasm makes me smile. It's infectious.

"That's great news! Amanda's going to be a big sister!"

Amanda grins. "Yeah, but I'm not the only one. Maybe you'll be a big sister."

"Huh?" Daisy's excitement wears off, replaced with confusion.

"We don't know the who the baby's other parent is," Amanda says before I can explain. "So it's kinda in the air now. We'll have to wait and see for now. But isn't that exciting?"

I was nervous that I'd have to come up with some alternate explanation for Daisy because I was so sure that she'd figured it out. But since Amanda told her, she might just take it as the truth. After all, Brian says that Daisy really does like Amanda like a sister. But as I feared, Daisy tilts her head and gives us an odd look. "How come you don't know?"

Amanda and I share a look. This is what I was afraid of. Daisy could figure out that something is off. "Well...it's still too early to tell. There are a couple different possibilities that I won't know for another month or two."

Daisy stares at us for a moment and furrows her brow. She looks like she's thinking really hard about we said, but her face relaxes and she smiles. "I guess that makes sense. That's probably why Dad wasn't too worried about it. When are you gonna have the baby?"

"Sometime in November I believe." I think I got pregnant around February, and now I'm going into my second trimester. The doctor said that maybe November, December the latest. "Around the third week."

Daisy fires off a couple more questions that Amanda and I do our best to answer. Just like the other girls, she's very excited and can't wait for the baby. She and Amanda are already talking about the clothes they're going to get for the baby and all the toys they're going to get. I guess that seals it; this baby is going to be spoiled.

Brian wakes up a little while after Daisy has calmed down and looks around blearily. He spots Daisy and Amanda looking through their pictures once again and raises an eyebrow in question, nodding to Daisy.

"She's knows," I tell him quietly. "She's excited."

The smile Brian gives me is blinding.

* * *

I'm braiding Amanda's hair when my phone rings, though I can't really do anything with my hands full. "Amanda, can you check that for me?" If I stop now, the fishtail braid I've been slowly attempting will fall apart and I've spent the last twenty minutes trying to get it perfect.

She checks the screen on my phone and makes a face. "It's Mr. Vega. Ew." 

I ignore the face she makes and focus on the braid. "Put it on speaker for me. I'm a little busy at the moment." She's eventually going to get over the fact that her teacher is going to be around me a lot more. 

Amanda presses a button on my phone and holds it up for me. "What's up Hugo?"

_"Danny, I need your help. Can you ask Amanda if she's seen Ernest at all today?"_

Amanda thinks for a minute, then shakes her head. "No. Not even at lunch, and the middle schoolers usually eat around the same time as us."

Hugo mutters to himself, something I can't make out, then sighs heavily.  _"I was afraid of that. I think Ernest may have run away from home._   _Some of his clothes are gone and some food is missing from our fridge. I'm very worried. Ernest has been mad at me before, but he's never disappeared from home like this. I might be asking a lot, but could you help me look for him?"_

Ernest is missing? "Of course I'll help look. Maybe he hasn't gone very far." Hopefully he hasn't gone far. We don't know when Ernest could've left, so he could be in the next town over for all we know. I really hope he's just crashing with a friend. Hugo sounds like he's on the verge of a breakdown. "We'll keep you updated."

 _"Thank you. I just can't imagine what drove him to do_ this."

"Don't worry Mr. Vega. We'll find him." Amanda stands up, the braid I was making unraveling as soon as she moves, and runs to get her shoes.

"Have you told any of the others?"

_"Yes. But they haven't seen him either. Joseph is looking around the park, Mat is checking around downtown, and Craig is checking the outskirts of town. I haven't had a chance to contact Brian, Damien, or Robert."_

"You make the calls while Amanda and I start to search. Call some of your teacher friends if that'll help."

_"Right. Yes. I'll get on that."_

Hugo hangs up after that and I quickly get up to get dressed, praying that Ernest is okay.

* * *

It's starting to get dark out and we've had no luck finding Ernest.

Brian and Damien joined our search on opposite ends of town, but they hadn't seen anything. Mat asked some of his buddies if they'd seen Ernest or a kid with his description but they hadn't. Joseph, who Hugo called to help because we needed all the help we could get, had looked all over the park and in the woods, but he found nothing. Damien checked the more abandoned areas of town, but he found nothing. Lucien even joined the search and looked in the basement of the school and some underground areas where he knew Ernest tended to hang out, but his search turned up empty. It was getting very late and we were starting to get discouraged.  We checked almost every corner of town, yet Ernest was still missing. Amanda didn't want me out for much longer, and Hugo agreed that I should head home so that I don't strain myself. I didn't want to leave though, because I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing Ernest is out here somewhere and could possibly be hurt.

"C'mon Pops. Let's get you home," Amanda says as we make our way to the more populated part of town. We strayed farther than we wanted to go, but we were trying to cover as much ground as possible.

"Can we stop real quick before we do? I have to use the bathroom."

Amanda looks around and nods at a lit up store. "I think there's a convenience store two blocks away. You use the bathroom and I'll call everyone and let them know what part of town we covered."

"Sounds like a plan." I feel bad that I can't do more to help find Ernest, but I understand why they want me to be careful. I don't know where else to look for Ernest, and it'll be a lot harder in the dark. Maybe we can start early tomorrow and try to find him. I just pray that he's still in Maple Bay and hasn't gotten too far.

Amanda makes a few calls and grabs some snacks while I head to the bathroom. There's a little window by the stall that faces the alley behind the store, and I can spot a couple of teens outside smoking. Actually, one of those teens looks really familiar...could that be?

Amanda gives me a weird look as I rush outside. I don't want to chance him walking off when I can bring him home. But sure enough, when I get to the alley, there's Ernest, surrounded by older teenagers. "Ernest?"

Ernest freezes, along with some of the teens he's hanging out with. It's a bit dark out, but not dark enough to conceal what they were doing. I see the white bottle in his hands before he has a chance to hide it. My concern skyrockets, especially with how much older the other teens look. "Are those drugs?"

Ernest tries to hide the pill bottle in his hoodie pocket, but I've already seen it. The brand name is as clear as day. Those are the same suppressants I used to take, only a _much_ higher dosage. "They're selling you suppressants?" This is not ideal. Those things can kill him, especially at that dose. "What are you doing with those?" I take two steps into the alley, but it's enough to scare the other teens. They take one look at each other before sprinting down the alley and out of sight. Ernest looks like he wants to call after them, but he stops and just sighs.

"Thanks a lot." He shoves his hands into his pockets and glares at me.

"Ernest, what were those kids doing selling you suppressants? Those are dangerous."

"We were just going to try a couple and see what they did. Nothing big. We heard they're pretty cool." He rolls his eyes at me. "And now you're gonna give me a lecture about the dangers of abusing drugs or whatever. New flash: you aren't the boss of me. I know what I'm doing."

I don't want to know where he heard that from, but it's a blatant lie. "I don't think you do. Those pills-"

"Yeah yeah. Whatever."

This is going to be difficult. Ernest was obviously not going to be willing to hear me out. I think he hates me at this point, and I am still a stranger; he probably wouldn't trust a thing I said. But he needs to know how much danger he just put himself in. "Listen Ernest. I know you don't like me. I get that. But Hugo is worried sick about you! He had no idea where you ran off to and he's totally freaking out! Why did you run away from home? Did you and Hugo get into an argument?"

Ernest kicks a couple of pebbles in front of him and doesn't answer.

"Alright fine. I won't press you about what happened. But can I try to convince you to go home? Hugo has the entire cul-de-sac searching for you and he's going crazy." Last time I spoke to him, he sounded near hysterics.

"Why should I go home? After Hugo grounds me for life over this, he's gonna ignore me for you. Then he's just gonna replace me with this baby like my dad did..."

Whoa, hold on a minute. A part of me is a little shocked that he knows about the baby, while the bigger part is stuck on what he just said. Replace him? What did he mean by that? "What do you mean 'replace you'? Hugo isn't trying to replace you."

"I don't mean Hugo I mean-" Ernest immediately shuts his mouth and crosses his arms. "It doesn't matter. Once this baby is born, I'm not going to mean anything. I don't see why Hugo wants me home so bad; he hates me, and so does my dad."

This is a lot of information, but I am making progress with him. He hasn't run off yet nor told me off, so I think I'm doing good. Now let's see if I can keep this going. I'd hate it if he was suddenly going to shut down on me. "Hugo loves you Ernest. He tells me all the time about how he just wishes you two would connect more. And I doubt this I baby will replace you. What gave you that idea?" Did Hugo say something and Ernest didn't understand it all the way? Or was something happening at home that Ernest isn't telling me? "Come on Ernest. I won't go back and tell Hugo anything you tell me. This will stay between us. I swear."

I had expected him to say no and storm off, but Ernest angrily scrubs his eyes and refuses to look at me. "My dad...my _other_ dad...I spend weekends with him all the time. And I like it there; he's so much cooler than Hugo. But my stupid half-brother gets all the attention. He's so well-behaved and so smart and dad loves him." His voice is dripping with sarcasm, and poorly concealed sadness. I don't have a younger siblings, so I'm not really sure how he's feeling, but he sounds upset enough as it is. "Ever since he was born, he had everyone wrapped around his finger. He does no wrong and gets everything he wants. I know dad doesn't mean it, but sometimes I feel invisible. And now with this, Hugo isn't going to waste anymore time with me. He'll probably yell at me, then focus on the baby. He should be glad I disappeared; it'll save him the trouble."

"Ernest, first of all, suppressants are  _not_ something you want to play around with. I don't know what kinds of lies your friends have been feeding you, but they don't make you high or give you some kind of buzz or do something cool. They taste horrible, the side effects are _the_ worst, they're highly addictive and downright dangerous to take. It's not something to take for fun. I don't know how those guys got their hands on those, but you shouldn't take them."

"And how would you know?" Ernest sneers.

"There was a period of time where I was addicted to them. It was a bad point of my life that I regret every single day of. My daughter had to call a ambulance because I had a seizure and didn't even realize it; had I not gotten my stomach pumped, I would've died that night. Suppressants are nothing but trouble. Hugo would be devastated if you were rushed to the hospital because of thme. They could kill you."

It's cleat that this piece of information is not what Ernest was expecting. He looks shocked, and there's a long stretch of silence as he pulls out the pill bottle from before and stares at it. The label doesn't tell you about the side effects, not in great detail, so there's no telling how they would've affected him. And if he had an allergic reaction to them on top of whatever effects might kick in, we might not even be having this conversation. If I hadn't stepped in, Ernest might've been dead.

"Hugo would freak if anything happened to you. Regardless of what you think, he loves you. And he wouldn't try to replace you with a new baby." I feel bad for Ernest. He's feeling neglected at his other dad's house, and he feels he's being neglected here. I doubt Hugo has any idea Ernest feels this way. It doesn't seem like he and Ernest talk all that much and I doubt Ernest would just come out and tell him about it. I doubt Ernest would tell anybody any of this.

Ernest goes silent for a moment, then glares at me. "I'm not stupid. He's been wrapped up in all this baby nonsense the past few weeks. I overheard him talking to you and used to think it was cool that he wasn't in my business so much or telling me what to do, but now..." Ernest trails off, flicking his cigarette into a nearby trashcan. "Now he has a new baby to raise and won't care about his delinquent son when he has a new one to raise and be proud of. He should just be glad I'm gone..." He slides down the dirty wall until he's sitting on the floor, ignoring the dark sticky smudge that's starting to stain his jeans.

"Ernest, _nobody_ is trying to replace you. I don't know where you got this idea from, but Hugo is just excited for the baby. He's just being a little overprotective, because he doesn't want anything to happen in the process. There's nothing wrong with being cautious." But I will have a talk with him later about this. It's obvious that Ernest is feeling a bit ignored, regardless of how he thinks he feels about Hugo. And I doubt Hugo is doing this on purpose; maybe he's just a little too excited and he can't see that Ernest is hurting. "He won't be glad his son is gone; the fact that he has the whole neighborhood on high alert should tell you how worried he is." I take a seat beside him, ignoring the wet feeling starting to spread up my thigh. "But let me ask you something. Have you tried to talk to Hugo about any of this?  Or about how you feel?"

Ernest doesn't answer me. He adamantly stares at the wall across from us like it has the answers to everything on it.

I should've known. "Ernest, let's get you home. I won't tell Hugo about the pill thing as long as you throw them out here and now. And when we get home, you're going to tell Hugo about what's happening with your other dad and how you feel. You two need to have a serious talk _now_ before this gets any worse."

Ernest continues to stare at the wall. At this point, I don't know if he's ignoring me or thinking about what I said. The pill bottle is slowly turned around in his hands as Ernest stares off, looking for something I can't see. I can't tell what he's thinking right now and nothing on his face gives me any indication, so I decide to wait it out while he makes up his mind. I'm not going to say anything else to him, not while he's trying to figure out what he's going to do. If I keep pushing him to talk, he might run away again.

I start to think that Ernest isn't going to comply when he sighs and grudgingly hands me the pill bottle. "Promise you won't tell Hugo about these?"

"I'll tell him I saw you going out for a walk or something. I promise."

Ernest and I stand, and he watches me open the bottle and pours the pills out onto the ground. He doesn't join in as I stomp down on the little white pills until they look like chalk on the ground. The bottle is tossed into the garbage and I make sure that he doesn't have any more suppressants on him. Once that's out of the way, decide to head back. Hugo's worried himself enough and it's starting to get a little chilly out. Any longer and we'll get sick.

"Let's get going."

We make a quick stop inside to get Amanda, who is just as relieved as I am at finding Ernest, before we head to Hugo's.

* * *

Hugo is beside himself when we walk through the door. He makes sure to quickly wipe his eyes and fix his glasses, making sure we don't see his tears. "Ernest!" He looks like he wants to run over and hug him, but he approaches us slowly and checks us over for injuries. "I-I've been worried sick about you! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" 

"I'm fine," Ernest mutters, turning his head away. "I just crashed with a friend." We all go over to the couches to sit, Hugo making no mention of the stains we're no doubt leaving on the cushions. He just looks so relived that we're back home that he doesn't mind the little bit of mess.

"What frie...it doesn't matter. I'm just glad you're home alright." His shoulders sag like a huge weight has been lifted and some of the tension drains from his body. "I'll tell everyone that we found you and to call off the search." He pulls out his phone and starts making calls to everyone. Just by looking at him, I can tell that a lot of stress has been lifted. But there's a lot he needs to hear before he can completely relax, and it's not my place to tell him what that is.

Amanda nudges Ernest and nods to Hugo. We gave her a brief rundown on what was going on and she insisted that Ernest needed to talk to Hugo and clear the air about everything. Ernest wasn't really sure and tried to run off again, but Amanda chased him down and made him see reason. Now, he was nervously looking between Amanda and I. "I-I'm sorry I ran off Hugo. I was just..." He looks back at me again, and I nod at him. Hugo is finished with his calls right now, probably telling someone that we found Ernest and to spread the word, and is holding his head in his hands. I can see faint tear tracks on his cheeks that he tries to rub away so that none of us see them. He lifts his head when Ernest speaks and quickly wipes the fresh tears away.

"Ernest, we can talk about this another time if you-"

"No. We should talk now." He takes a deep breath. "I-I ran away because I thought you'd be happier."

Hugo's face shows his shock. "Happier? Ernest, you're my son. Finding out that you ran away from home is not something any father wants to hear."

"Yeah but..." He goes silent once more and looks away again. 

Uh oh. This might not go the way it should. I wanted to get them talking but if Ernest doesn't say it, Hugo will never know. "Hugo, Ernest told me that his half-brother gets all the attention when he stays with his other dad, and he feels like this baby'll get all the attention here. He thinks he's being replaced."

Ernest shoots me a half dirty, half relieved look. Well, if they didn't talk this out they might not ever get to it.

Hugo however, is torn between shock and sadness. "What?! Ernest, is this true?"

Ernest looks between Amanda and I and nods. "Yes...Bobby gets all the attention and Dad doesn't realize he's doing it. And now..."

"Now he thinks that this baby will replace him here," I finish.

Once again, Ernest shoots me a look. "Yeah. What he said."

Hugo takes off his glasses and wipes his eyes. Looking at him right now, he looks...older. All of the exhaustion and weariness shows on his face, and coupled with the weight of this new revelation, he looks  _tired._ Hugo never looked really old before, but now he just seems like he's been drained. "Ernest, I would never try to replace you with a new baby. And I wouldn't be happy if you disappeared on me. You're my son; I love you Ernest."

"Yeah but..." Ernest doesn't seem to know what to say anymore.

Amanda and I share a look. Clearly there's a lot to be said here, but we shouldn't be present for it. Hugo and Ernest need to have a long talk, and I don't think we need to be here. It isn't our place to tell Hugo what Ernest is feeling; they need to sort that out for themselves. "Hugo, just make sure everyone knows that Ernest is home. Then I want you and Ernest both to stay home tomorrow so that you have time to talk about everything. And I mean it; both of you are staying home. I'll come over and check if I have to. But you two need to talk and it's more important than school or work."

Ernest doesn't look like he wants to protest, while Hugo just nods and pulls out his phone again. "I...yes. That should be for the best."

Amanda gets up from the couch and gives Ernest a playful punch on the arm. I make sure to give his shoulder a quick pat before I get up to leave. Hugo gives me a grateful look as I pass him and I give him a small smile in return. I'm glad that Ernest agreed to come home and I hope that they actually talk.

* * *

The next day is a bit of a struggle.

Morning sickness hits be like a truck while I'm making breakfast, causing me to almost burn my grits while I puke up everything from last night. I can only stomach about two or spoonfuls before I feel too sick to continue. Grits are abandoned in favor of dry toast and water for the morning so that my stomach can settle. There are many different flutters beneath my stomach, perhaps the baby apologizing for making me sick, and it makes me happy to feel the baby moving around little by little. My bump has gotten another two inches bigger and is poking out just the slightest bit. Amanda pointed it out to me the other day and I can't stop staring at it every time I take my shirt off.

I get tired out of nowhere once breakfast is cleaned up and I end up watching re-runs of  _Master Baker_ while everyone is at either school or work. Hugo texted me this morning and told me that he and Ernest managed to talk last night but that there was a lot more that needed to be said. He also told Ernest the whole truth, which really upset him. I thought that was going to be the end of it, but Hugo told me that Ernest wasn't actually opposed to the idea of the baby, which was a positive. Now, they still have a lot to talk about, and Hugo is going to keep me updated, but he's making progress with Ernest and they're talking.

With the exception of Joseph's kids, everyone knows about the baby now. And the majority is excited about it. Of course, like I keep thinking, the birth might change everything, and I'm not ready for that to happen. I don't want to lose what I've developed with anyone. It makes me sad every time I think about it. The Alphas act like it isn't a big deal but I see it. I see how upset them get when I go off with someone else. I see how angry they get when one of them takes my hand or hugs me or even kisses me. I see the anger between them and I while I know Alphas are naturally territorial and protective, I still hate the idea that they might get into a fight over me. I can't stop thinking about how it's my fault that this all happened. I hadn't been as careful as I should've been and now look where we are. I mean, one of my neighbors almost drowned himself in alcohol, one of them refuses to admit the truth to his wife, and the others are close to snapping at one another, regardless of their friendship. I put everyone into a really difficult situation, all because I let instinct take over. 

_All of this could've been avoided if I'd only been more careful._

These thoughts are everything but comforting as I slip into an uneasy sleep. 

* * *

It's a bit later when I wake up and realize that I have some work to do. There's a bake sale at the elementary school later and I promised the girls (Briar, Hazel, Daisy, and Carmensita) that I would bake cupcakes for them to sell at their table. Well, it was actually a joint table and Mat had already made some desserts for them, but because they teamed up, they would need a little more than what they asked for. Amanda is volunteering at the bake sale for extra credit, and because all volunteers get the leftover desserts, she won't be able to help me. After school, she has to go right over to the elementary school to help them set up. However, Lucien is going to help me with some of the baking when school is out, which gives me another hour and a half before I have to bring the cupcakes to the school. That's more than enough time for Lucien and I to make a couple of batches and get them frosted. 

For now however, I'm going over all the possible options we have for the baby's room.  I've already asked the Alphas for their opinions and Amanda's underwater inspired color scheme has my jungle theme outnumbered, but only for now; I've yet to ask the kids for their opinions but I know that the votes will change once I do. We're starting a bit early, but six months will go by in a flash and if we don't have the room done, we might put it off until it's too late. The only thing that has been done was little bits of shopping here and there: gender-neutral clothes, diapers, and baby toys have already begun to fill up what will become the baby's room, and I have an inkling that there are a couple of online orders making their way to the house pretty soon. I appreciate everything that's being done for the baby and I; it just shows how much love everyone has for the baby.

It's a little hard to believe that in just six months, I'll have this baby. I mean, my first trimester is almost over! I know people say that pregnancy just flies by sometimes, but six months will change a lot. Not just for the baby, but for everyone really. In six months, Amanda will be in college, River will be a year old, Carmensita will be in middle school, a whole new school semester will start, Ernest will be in high school, and I'll have the baby. So much will change and adjust and I feel like I won't be ready for any of it. I barely feel ready for this baby, let alone other things in my life changing the way they will.

I'm...I'm older now. There might be some complications with the baby because of my age. I've only just begun being healthier, but I still have issues with blood pressure; what if all of this factors into something going wrong with the baby? There are so many things that could happen that could harm this baby. There's so much that I have to prepare and get ready for the baby. Am I ready for anything that might happen?

My notebook makes its way across the living room before I realize it, the paint swatches littering the floor near my feet. My cheeks feel wet and my throat starts to burn. The living room looks blurry as tears run down my cheeks. I'm hit over and over again with that one saddening thought.

_What if I'm really not ready for this baby?_

* * *

I don't know how long I've been crying for, but when I finally look up again, some cheesy rom-con is playing. The phone reads around noon, and I've got a couple of messages  and pictures from the others. Very sweet messages from the others that make me smile despite my tears.

_**i don't know if you're awake right now or not but I wanted you to wake up to a nice good morning message. i hope the rest of the day goes well for you. I'll see you at the school later! :)** _

_**I know you may be asleep at the moment but I can never feel comfortable starting my morning without leaving you something pleasant to wake up to. I dearly hope that you slept well and that your morning is amazing. I don't know what the rest of the day will hold for you, but I can only hope that it isn't too stressful for you and that you have a peaceful day.** _

_**Morning' early bird! Sorry if this wakes you up, but I wanted to make sure you start your day smiling!**_

_**I wanted to thank you again for bringing Ernest home and encouraging he and I to talk. We've managed to reach an understanding thanks to you. We're going to spend the day together and sort out a couple of other things. I can't express my gratitude and I hope you're having a great day.** _

_**okay Carmensita hates me for this but I found a bunch of dog memes I think you'll love. hope these make you laugh!** _

There are still traces of uncertainty floating around my mind, but I feel better reading through all of this. I feel like I can at least get through the day a little better. 

Luckily, I'm able to tell Lucien that I got hit with a mood swing to avoid the questions on why my eyes were red and why I look like crap. He seems to believe me, looking just about as sympathetic as he can, and goes along with my story. I feel uncomfortable lying to him, like I feel every time I lie, but it's better for me if I just grin and bear it. We have cupcakes to make and that task alone is enough to chase away the last of my worries. They'll be back, but at least I can distract myself from them, if only for a little while.

* * *

The bake sale is being held in the cafeteria of the school, and there are already parents and kids setting up desserts of all kinds on colorfully decorated tables by the time we arrive. Some people have tiered cakes, tray after tray of colorful cookies iced with rainbow icing and sprinkles, there are cupcakes  _everywhere_ _,_ I see a couple different types of brownies and a few people have gone with some really exotic desserts that I am itching to try. Teachers are everywhere going over last minute details or chatting up parents, while kids with tables next to one another excitedly talk back and forth about their treats.

Carmensita, Daisy, and the twins are set up at a large table near the middle. They already have a couple of desserts on their table, most likely what Brian and Mat brought, but there is a large space in the middle for my cupcakes. I may have overdid it a little with the cupcakes because Lucian is carrying all three trays, but I wasn't sure how big the bake sale was going to be so we baked accordingly.

"What kind are they?" Carmensita asks excitedly as I set the tray down.

"One of them has Oreo cupcakes, one has red velvet, and one is cookie dough." I didn't want to go with anything classic, so I decided to be a little unique. It was Lucien's idea to make Oreo cupcakes, while the other two were my idea. I had to make sure I avoided all possible allergic reactions, so no peanut butter or anything like that.

"Can we try one?" Hazel asks. "Please?"

"I don't think it would hurt to have one." The bake sale hasn't officially started yet, so we had some to spare

"Maybe you guys should wait until-" Brian begins, but the girls, plus Mat, all grab a different cupcake and dig in. Lucien hesitates, but then grabs an Oreo cupcake for himself. "Never mind."  He simply shakes his head at the girls and Mat, all enjoying their cupcakes. "If that's how they react, then we might sell out." 

"That's what I'm hoping for."

The bake sale starts about fifteen minutes later, and kids everywhere are urging others to buy their treats or try them. Some kids ask friends and parents to buy them something from other tables while other kids leave their tables really quickly to buy treats for themselves. A few teachers come by to check on everyone's progress along with volunteers from the high school. Amanda manages to stop by very briefly, but because she's helping with the event she can't stay for very long. She does stay long enough to grab a cookie dough cupcake before heading out to finish her duties.

Damien shows up after a little while, saying that he'd been previously held up with something, but was going to stay and support the girls. He ended up trying a red velvet cupcake for himself and observes the rest of the cafeteria instead of going off into the crowd. Brian doesn't want anything for himself, and neither does Craig but that was to be expected. Mat buys a couple of cookies and a few brownies before settling down himself. I however, eat a couple of really cute looking cookies Mat got for me (the memory of the last bake sale I was at making me a little wary of wandering off by myself) because I'm hungry and I couldn't resist. Hugo already told me that he and Ernest were taking a personal day so I don't expect them to show up.

The girls are preoccupied selling the cake and cupcakes they have rather than getting anything for themselves. Carmensita, taking after her dad, talks with other students and teachers and convinces them to buy our treats like a pro. Briar and Hazel go out and bring people to their table so that Carmensita can talk them into buying something. Daisy is in charge of all the money we get, and she talks with some of the teachers about their table. I'm surprised that she can multi-task like that, counting money and giving out change while talking with people, but it's highly impressive. The girls make for one heck of a team and do well to sell most of the cupcakes within the hour. They're having fun doing this, I'm having a great time with my cookies, Lucien has a small smile on his face, and the rest of the Dads seem pretty happy. It looks like this bake sale is a hit.

* * *

A little later, I think I overdid it.

I feel the slightest bit nauseous and I think it's because of how much sugar I put into my body in such a short amount of time. I don't feel like I'm gonna throw up, but there is a slight sick taste in my mouth. It doesn't help that I drank a bunch of lemonade instead of water, so that's probably not sitting well in my stomach. It's odd because I don't normally get this way when I eat a lot of sweets, so a bit of morning sickness and the sugar must be getting to me. I was craving really badly earlier and now I don't want to touch another cookie for the rest of the night.  

I end up plopping into a chair beside Daisy and rubbing my stomach to try and calm it down. Brian, probably seeing my slight distress, sits down beside me and begins rubbing my back in circles, which helps a  _lot_. I still feel sick, but it's slowly subsiding. And now I have to pee.

"You look a bit sick," Brian says quietly. "Do ya wanna head home?"

I shake my head. "No, I'm alright. I just need to use the bathroom. I'll be right back."

Brian nods and turns back to the girls. Mat asks him something, probably about where I'm heading, but Brian just waves him off and says a couple of words.

Unfortunately, there's no bathroom in the gym nor the cafeteria, so I have to walk down the halls near some of the classrooms to try and find one. I have no idea why there aren't any closer bathrooms, but the walk gives me time to admire some of the art decorating the walls. There are a lot of talented kids here and their art is just adorable. It makes me remember when Amanda used to bring home her art projects for me to hang on the fridge, or when there was parent-teacher night and Amanda pointed out exactly where in the classroom her work was. I still have a few of them in an old photo album somewhere because they were projects she really loved and worked hard on. I think there's a whole album dedicated to her artwork somewhere; Alex made it for her after he let her slap paint around on a large piece of paper and we've been keeping her projects ever since then. The most recent album we have is dedicated to photos she took that she claimed were perfection, which still has room for more. I want her to take it to college with her so she can document her experience while she's there. I should start one for the baby while I'm thinking about it. I have some ultrasound pictures just sitting in a folder; maybe an album would be a better place for it...

Once I've used the bathroom and made sure I wasn't going to pass out from a sugar coma, my nausea has subsided the baby in question now demands more sweets, forgetting that I just made myself sick because of them.  Since we're in a school surrounded by them, I decide to head back to the cafeteria to get something to snack on, but something light this time. I hope there's some of those cake pops left because those looked amazing and are probably light enough that I can eat maybe one or two to help the baby settle down.

But I bump into someone one the way there, so lost in thought that I'm caught completely off guard. I stumble and nearly fall on my butt, but steady hands keep me from falling over and embarrassing myself. "Oh, sorry about that. Thank you." I really need to pay more attention to where I'm going because this happens far too often to be normal. I must've set a world record at this point.

"Ah...Danny..."

I recognize that voice. I know that voice all too well. It makes my skin crawl just hearing it. "Joseph."

Joseph chuckles nervously, wringing his hands together. "It's...good to see you again."

I have so much to say to him. I want to curse him out so badly, I want to scream at him until my throat is raw, I want to hit him. I played this whole scenario in my head thousands of times for this moment, and they all ended with me doing something I  _might_ regret later. "Yeah," is about the only eloquent thing I can think of. "I've been doing good." None of those scenarios are coming to me right now. I'm filled with so much rage, I almost forget that we're in a school and that violence on school grounds is not okay _regardless of how much the bastard deserves to be punched in the face_. Gone is the pity and loathing from before; all that's left is anger. This was not the way I wanted to talk to him and I don't want to cause a scene while we're in an elementary school of all places, but my emotions feel like they're going to get the better of me and I don't know how much longer I can hold out.

"Ah yes. Good."

I can't believe him. There's so much he can say, and he's just looking at me like an idiot. "Joseph-"

He takes a couple of steps closer to me, which puts me on edge, and quickly makes sure no one is around. The hall is oddly empty, probably because everyone is in the cafeteria enjoying the bake sale. "How is...the...well, you know." He leans in close so no eavesdroppers can hear. "The baby?"

I might be pissed at him, but it still  _might_ be his baby. He can know _something_  about the baby's progress even though I want to walk away and pretend I didn't hear him."The baby is fine. Everything was the way it should've been during my last check-up."

"Good."

He sounds like a broken record player. Does he really not have anything to say? Or an apology? Or  _anything_ substantial to say? "Did you tell her?" Am I gonna expect Mary to come storming down the hall to curse me out? Or maybe a mob of Joseph's followers coming to tell me that I'm the one in the wrong, that I corrupted poor Joseph? Or will his kids come running up to me and call me all kinds of names because I've messed with their father?

"I beg your pardon?" Joseph pulls back a bit and looks around nervously. "Tell who?"

"Did you. Tell Your. Wife." Does Mary know? Is she avoiding me because she doesn't want to hurt me? Is she holding herself back from coming after me? Or is she  _still_ in the dark? I suspect the last one, because he's been avoiding me ever since I told him that I was pregnant.

The silence stretches between us. Joseph pretends to look at some of the artwork on the wall so as to not answer my question. Of course he hasn't. I should've known he wouldn't have told his wife. Why would he? He has this image to uphold after all, doesn't he? It would ruin his youth pastor image if anyone found out he cheated on his wife and got his neighbor pregnant behind her back. "Joseph, isn't there a certain 'thou shall not bear false witness' rule you abide by? What happened to that? What happened to honesty 'oh youth minister'? Why doesn't your wife know about what happened? Don't you think she should? You probably preach about a sanctity of marriage, but you don't uphold your own? For a youth pastor, you don't seem to abide by the rules you're supposed to live by." I'm not a hardcore religious guy, nor will I put down someone else for practicing a religion, but Joseph doesn't seem like he's following any rules. No rule I can think of makes it okay to cheat on your wife.

"I...Mary and I...it's difficult to explain."

Something inside me just snaps when I hear that. He really thinks his situation is difficult? "Difficult? Difficult?! Joseph,  _this_ is difficult!" I angrily gesture between us, joseph taking a step back as if I've hit him.  _Which I really want to do._  "Do you know what I went through after that ordeal? Do you know how ashamed of myself I felt when I realized what happened? Do you know how disgusted I felt when I had to go home and clean out your mess? You don't have to deal with people calling you a slut, or looking down on you because of what you've done. You don't have any idea what it's like waking up every morning not knowing who fathered your baby! It's  _stressful_ and every day is a struggle because  _I have no clue what's going to happen!_  All you deal with is putting on the facade that you're a role model neighbor. I don't want to hear anything from you about difficult!" All the pent up stress I've been dealing with because of him, with everything is just  _pouring_ out like a flood. I went through self-loathing and put my baby at risk because of him. And he has the nerve to claim that his situation is difficult? "I'm  _terrified and confused_ and I hate myself every time I think about this fucked up situation I'm in! And when I think about the fact that I was with a  _married man_ on top of six other guys I fucked, I feel even worse! I can't look in a fucking mirror without thinking about how disgusted I am with myself! Yet you stand here and have the  _audacity_ to claim that whatever situation you have going on is difficult?! You can't even begin to understand what difficult really is!" My are clenched into fists by my side, balled up so hard I can feel my nails digging into my skin. My vision is starting to turn red, a pounding headache makes itself known and angry tears form in my eyes. I've never felt this angry before but damn it I've been waiting almost three months for this.

Joseph is silent through my tirade, and looks like he knows better than to say something. And he'd better not. I'm liable to hit him if he says anything to me at this point. I'm liable to hit him just because it's going to make me feel better. "You're lucky. You are  _very_ lucky Joseph. After everything, I should deny letting you see this baby if they're yours. But I'm not going to. You can see your child if they're yours, but that's  _all_ you're getting. And you'd  _better_ tell Mary about this. If she gets pissed at me, I'll deal with it when the time comes. But you _are_ telling her." I have nothing left to say to him. I said what I've been wanting to say and while I'm still angry, there's something else beginning to build that I desperately try to clamp down on. Just try to keep it together Danny. Try to keep it together.

I don't give Joseph a chance to say anything. I walk back to the cafeteria, so many emotions warring with one another inside me that I just want to leave before something happens. I just want to go home.

* * *

It's hard keeping it together.

I made up some story about getting a slight dizzy spell and having to rest in the hall for a minute to explain why I was gone for so long. I managed to pass a water fountain and took a couple of sips to try and calm down, but my throat was still raw from how choked up I got. Swallowing back all the screams and crying I wanted to do  _hurt_. My palms sting from where I broke skin and drew blood. And the alphas could tell that something was off, but they refrained from questioning me about it and just let me eat cake pops until I burst. And even though I'm shoving cake into my mouth, they don't taste like anything. They're mush in my mouth, the chocolate tastes like dirt, and the dough feels like rubber. I want to throw them back up and just go home, but I wanted to stay with all the kids. If I go home, I'll have nothing to ground me, and nothing to stop me from going into a rage. 

"Danny? Are you alright?" Damien cups my face gently and tilts my head up so I can't avoid his eyes. "You seem...troubled."

"I-I'm fine," I can barely choke that lie out. I'm  _not_ okay. I'm so far from okay right now I might pass out. It's not even about Joseph anymore. I mean, it is in  _part_ , but there's just so much more that it's hurting me to keep it in. But I can deal with it. I just need a moment to compose myself.

Damien obviously doesn't believe me. He examines my face closely, or tries to because I keep looking away. I don't want to lash out at him and I feel all the rage needing release. And he doesn't deserved to get hit with whatever emotion comes spilling out my mouth first just because he's concerned. No, I keep looking away so that he's spared from the dam bursting. But Damien notices me avoiding him and turns to where Lucien is braiding Daisy's hair. "Lucien, can you watch our table for a moment? We need to step out for a moment."

No, we don't need to step out. I'm fine. We can stay here, finish the bake sale, then all leave. Just let me stay here with. I'll keep it together. I'm fine.

Damien takes me by the hand and leads me out of the cafeteria, quietly asking the other Alphas to follow him while he leads me...somewhere. I don't know where and I don't really care. It takes a moment before the chatter from the cafeteria fades and I feel fresh air hitting the tears on my face. I realize that Damien led me outside to get away from everything. I can't tell if anyone else is outside, but it's silent other than someone's harsh breathing. Which I realize is _my_ harsh breathing.

"Now," he says softly. "Tell us what's wrong." He lifts my head again and looks worried.

Everything is fine. Nothing is wrong. _I'm okay let's just go back in._

"Danny." Damien speaks again, thumbs gently stroking my cheeks. "Please."

No I'm okay I'm... "I...I..." Hot tears spill down my cheeks before I can stop them. Damien's face starts to blur in front of me until he's just a pale and black splotch. Everything around me fades into blurry shapes and colors that I can't distinguish from one another. I can hear sounds, but they're muffled and sound far away, like I'm underwater and they're speaking from the surface. My chest  _hurts_ , so badly I think I might pass out. I can't get air into my lungs fast enough. I feel like I'm drowning even though I'm not underwater. I feel like I'm falling. I don't know what I feel anymore. I'm tired, I'm hot, I'm angry, I can't breathe, I'm drowning _I just don't know please help me I can't take it it hurts so badly_.

I think someone is calling me, but I can't be sure about it. I barely feel Damien's hands on me, or someone's arms I can't be sure. Is Damien still holding me? Did he let go? Please don't let go _no one let go please!_ I don't know what anything is anymore. I do know that I feel like exploding. I can't hold it in any longer. Arms start to wrap around me, the hands on my face dropping away. My own arms feel limp at my sides as someone holds me tight. Then someone else presses against my back and another set of arms wrap around me. There's a head or something on my shoulder and more and more arms until I'm surrounded by the scents of my Alphas. I can feel their comfort even though they don't say anything and I feel safe and loved but  _damn it I'm fine!_  My shoulders start shaking even more and the emotions start building. Not just from the encounter form Joseph, but from my own insecurities and worries. It all builds up and I can't hold it in any longer.

_No Danny you're alright you're overreacting you'll be okayyoucanhandlethis-_

I start screaming.

None of my Alphas say anything to me, just let me scream. They don't pull away, merely tighten their hold on me while it just all comes out. I don't even care that someone in the school might hear me. I don't care that someone could see.  _I don't care if I look like a child._  I'm just screaming my heart out. All the emotions come pouring out. I choke out nonsensical sentences or something  _I just don't know._ Screaming just makes me feel better. Everything I held back is now coming out and I'm tired of trying to hold it in. If my Alphas are saying something to me I can't hear it over my own screams. I can barely hear myself screaming over the blood roaring in my ears. But I still  _feel_ them with me and that's enough. They're here with me and just let me get it all out until my voice starts going out, my eyes start drying, and I can't hold myself up anymore. I choke and cough trying to compose myself and say  _something_ to them, but someone starts shushing me. Someone else rubs my back again and helps coax out whatever is left, which is a lot of coughing. I still feel the arms around me holding me tight, even as I feel my legs getting week. I'm glad I'm being held because I can't feel my legs anymore. I  _would've_ fallen if not for all the arms around me.

And before I realize it, my eyes are slipping shut.

* * *

It's dark, my throat hurts, and my eyes feel so dry it stings. It takes a couple of blinks before my eyes feel somewhat normal and I can sit up again. I'm in my room, someone having carried me there, but the I don't really remember how. I remember...cake pops. Really bad cake pops. Everything after that is a blur. I don't remember anything after the cake pops, nor how I got home. But I'm parched and my stomach is growling really loudly, likely the very thing that woke me up. And while good cake pops sound amazing right now, they're not actually food and therefore won't help. I mean, it  _could_ but I need to eat something a little healthier.

I'm...unprepared for what I'm faced with when I head into the living room.

All the Alphas and the kids are in various positions on the couch and floor, all watching TV and eating out of tubs of ice cream. I don't think they heard me get up because no one reacts; they're all glued to whatever they're watching. I can't hear what's playing but it's obviously got them hooked.

"Okay, so Emily's sister keeps stealing all her boyfriends, and this still isn't a problem?" Amanda is saying. "But now that she has this huge medical problem, it's Emily's fault? Boo. Bad writing. No wonder Michael didn't want to stay on the show."

"Can we talk about Maxwell's whole...thing?" Mat asks. "Why hasn't anyone arrested this guy yet? Everything he's doing is illegal."

"And when did Chloe marry Lewis?! Why is that suddenly a thing?!" Carmensita angrily gestures to the TV, everyone making noises of agreement.

Are...are they watching  _Young and Lovely?_  Because I swore Amanda hated soap operas and I didn't think any of the kids would be interested in this; dramas didn't seem to be a collective thing. Even  _Ernest_ is watching it intensely. The only one not watching is River, but that's because she's asleep. Everyone else however, is heavily invested in this show and it's adorable. This is not what I thought I'd be walking home to, but it's a pleasant surprise.

I clear my throat, a little unsuccessfully at first, but the third time makes everyone jump. Amanda snatches up the remote and fumbles with it, immediately switching the channel to an action movie. "H-Hey Pops! Sleep well?" Everyone looks really guilty and tries to hide their ice cream, but I've already seen it and I know what they've been doing.

"I slept fine...were you guys just watching  _Young and Lovely?"_

Amanda scoffs, everyone making a non-committal noise or brushing it off. "Ah, what? No way. No way we were watching that dumb soap opera. It's stupid and the plot is overly complicated."

"Uh huh." I don't believe them. But I know exactly how to get them to crack. "So...Erica's recent boyfriend?" 

As I suspected, Amanda reacts first. "She doesn't even like him! She just likes him because he's  _Emily's_ boyfriend!" Amanda rants, like a switch was just flipped. "I mean, seriously? And Ethan just jumps into a relationship with her like Emily doesn't exist?! I hate Erica and Ethan is a terrible person!" Amanda covers her mouth when she realizes that she exposed them and looks at me sheepishly. "I mean...whaaat? Who's Erica?"

I sit down beside Amanda and take the tub of ice cream from her. "Don't worry. She gets what's coming to her in a few episodes."

"Ugh, finally," Hazel groans. "I cannot take anymore of her 'I'm so lonely' speech."

We all sit and watch  _Young and Lovely,_ and since I know what's going to happen, I'm made to stay quiet and not spoil anything. I'm honestly surprised that they made it so far into the season, which meant that some of them have been watching this far longer than they suspect. After all, I couldn't have been asleep for that long. They seem hooked, like I was when I started to watch it, but I know they'll get pissed when Michael dies.

Unfortunately, this is the last episode for the night and it ends on a major cliffhanger, which is saddening for everyone. Amanda desperately tries to find it saved on our DVR, but I don't have it recorded since I thought I was the only one interested, and I watch it in the daytime when I'm home so, there's no need for it to take up space on our DVR. But everyone seems so upset...

"How about we make this a thing?" I suggest. "We can watch it in the evenings after everyone has dinner. And you guys can catch up."

"That's a great idea! We should do that," Amanda agrees. She's given up on her claims that soap operas are dumb because she seems to really enjoy this.

"Please Dad?" Briar asks.

"Yeah, please?" Carmensita bounces on her knees and waits for Mat's reply.

All the girls pull the puppy eyes on their fathers while Ernest and Lucien pretend that they don't care, but Ernest looks a little excited and Lucien gives as much of a pleading look to Damien as he can muster. And none of the Dads look like they even want to protest. Briar and Hazel have double-teamed Craig, Carmensita tugs Mat's jacket, and Daisy whispers 'please' over and over to Brian. I already hear protests that they might inconvenience me, but I'm okay with it. "Oh come on. It'll be nice to do something all together." 'As a family' almost slips out of my mouth, but I manage to catch it before I say it. We're  _like_ a family, but we aren't one.

The puppy eyes work and as long as I'm okay with it, the other Dads agree. 

I gather up as many empty tubs as I can and go to empty them in the trash, taking the spoons with me to wash them up. I shouldn't have eaten the ice cream instead of a proper dinner but what's done is done. And hey, I'm not hungry anymore. That's a bonus.

I hear some footsteps behind me and turn to see the Dads all filing into the kitchen and looking at me with concern. I fully turn around and sit on the counter to face them. I feel a bit bad about the way that I lost my temper earlier but I can think clearer now and I feel better.

"Are you alright?" Damien asks. "You passed out at the school and we were all worried."

"And tell us the truth," Mat adds before I can answer. "What happened?"

Seeing them all so concerned and worried makes my chest tighten the slightest bit. I didn't want them to see me like that. But I owe it to them to tell the truth because what happened could've been a lot worse if they weren't there. And holding all of that in was probably bad for the baby. "...I had a confrontation with Joseph and it made me angry. Then everything else I've been dealing with hit me and that little spat pushed me over the edge. I guess it was mood swings combined with leftover stress from before just all came together and...out." The past few days have been stressful, with having to tell all the kids about the baby, Ernest running away, and my own anxiety and insecurities from before; it all came out after that thing with Joseph and I got hit in the worst way. I  _should've_ said something but I thought I could deal with it. I should've talked it out like I told Amanda to. I should've talked the way I made Hugo and Ernest talk. It wasn't right for me to hold that in but I really thought I could deal. "I'm sorry. I should've said something before."

No one looks happy at the mention of Joseph's name, but they let it slide so that I don't get anymore upset. Mat, the closest to me, brings me into his arms for a hug, like before and the others are quick to follow. I'm surrounded by all my Alphas again and I feel just as comforted as before. I feel the baby fluttering happily in my stomach and know that it's going to get better. It's one big group hug that only gets bigger and a lot more awkward when there's more footsteps and I feel more people in on this hug. The kids must've seen our group hug and all wanted in.

"Ernest get in on the hug!"

"No! Group hugs are the worst."

"C'mon Ernest!"

"No."

"Oh would you-come here!"

"Hey! Get off of me!"

"See? Isn't this nice?"

This  _is_ nice.

* * *

_Dear Robert,_

_It's been a while since my last message and I've been a little curious about you._ _How has your path to recovery been going? I really hope you find what you need. I still think about you and how you're doing, and I hope you come back to Maple Bay soon. I still haven't managed to find that candy store you bought me chocolate from, so maybe you could take me there when you get back and we can talk? Or just go somewhere? I just want to spend a bit of time with you when you get back. I just really want to see you._

_The baby is doing fine. I went for another check-up and they're developing well. I still have bad cravings, so I end up buying a lot of sweets to keep around the house. Without the chocolate you bought me, no chocolate tastes the same and it's killing me. Amanda's been looking online for me, but there aren't many search results when you don't know the name. The baby doesn't keep me up at night anymore, but the morning sickness has been a pain. It'll be a while before I'm able to find out the baby's gender, but I'm alright with that. All of the stuff Amanda and I have bought is all gender-neutral anyways. We'll get a little more specific later on. We've also been talking baby room colors, and everyone has a different opinion on it. Do you have a color preference we should use? Your opinion matters too you know._

_Overall, everything's been great. I did have one bad day, but it's over with. I even managed to tell everyone who needs to know about the baby the truth, and everyone is excited about it. I'm glad it went over so well and that everyone is behind me. The next couple of months don't seem so bad anymore. Of course, they won't be the same without you here with us. But I understand that you're doing something to hep yourself and that you'll be back._

_Hope to hear from you soon!_

_Love, Danny_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For everyone who might have torches, pitchforks, bats, and other weaponry to use against Joseph for making Danny mad or because you guys just hate him, I'm going to have to ask you to form an orderly line, one behind the other, and patiently wait for your number to be called. Please wait your turn, no skipping the line, and trust me, there will be enough of him to go around. You are allotted five minutes time to...do as you please with him.
> 
> So, the kids are all informed, Danny had a bit of an issue, Joseph appeared, and we see one of Danny's messages to Robert! The crying scene took me forever, you don't even know. Don't worry about anymore sadness though, next chapter will be a lot lighter and contain no Joseph.
> 
> I forgot to mention it last chapter, but there I created a Baby Name Masterlist on my Tumblr! If you have a baby name you want me to consider, you can message me on Tumblr or let me know in the comments. If you have a specific name for a baby by a certain father (let's say you like Victoria if it might be Damien's baby) you can let me know. If you have any gender neutral name, you can let me know either here and I will add it myself (and credit you of course) or you can message me on Tumblr with the name you chose. If there's a name that is specifically for a boy or a girl, please let me know. Of course if you guys have any general questions I'm free to answer what I can without giving spoilers.
> 
> Also, random question, but how old were you guys when you're parents gave you 'the talk'? Or did you even get one at all? I'm a bit curious; I got it when I was around 9 or 10 because I was a very curious child. But how old were you guys?


	8. Jealous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I didn't think that I was going to make a new friend so quickly, let alone that we would get along so well, but I'm glad I met Adrian. He's really cool to hang out with and its nice having someone to talk to over pregnancy and kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to last chapter, the general consensus seems to be that most of your parents didn't give you 'the talk' but rather let the schools do it. Which, from what you guys were saying, it wasn't fun and it was really lame.

_Danny,_

_It's been hard. Real hard. Haven't had a drink in a long time, and damn do I want one. But I know I can't. Not yet. I rely on alcohol when I don't want to deal with something, but I need to curb that habit if I want to make any kind of progress. And it's been working. Without the alcohol, everything is starting to make sense and my head is clear. I would've dug myself an early grave if I kept going the way I was. You were right, it wasn't healthy for me._

_I'm not gonna lie, I miss you. I miss the neighborhood. I miss Maple Bay. I want to be back with you and everyone. Take you around to that candy store you wanna visit so much and buy you the chocolate you want. And take you to one of my favorite spots so we can be alone and talk. There are things I should've told you that I just couldn't, but after a lot of thinking, I know that I have to._

_I'll be coming home soon enough. I won't keep you waiting much longer._  

_Robert_

* * *

Now that all the kids are having baby fever, I think it’s rubbed off on me.

I went into town (alone, because it was a last minute decision and I didn't want to bother anyone) to buy...something, I don’t even remember what it was, but I saw a department store having a sale on baby clothes and immediately decided that it wouldn’t hurt to look at a couple of things and maybe put some stuff in the not-quite-baby's-room-but-getting-there room. I knew it would be best to get them in bulk now because they might get expensive later on in the year. Everywhere I looked there were onsies, T-shirts, dresses, pants, shoes...and I decided that maybe I could stock up a little. Babies can only wear their clothes about once or twice before they're a year old, so it’s better to have more rather than have to constantly buy new clothes every time the baby grows an inch. I’m not being particular about colors just yet since the gender is still unknown, but there are plenty of outfits in gender neutral that I see.

I’m planning on getting some sweaters and warm clothes since I’ll be having the baby around late fall or early winter, but a couple of pants and onsies wouldn’t be bad to have around either. I see a bunch of onsies with cute puns that I have to get or else I’ll regret it. I know I probably have a whole stock of clothes Amanda is trying to buy, plus all the stuff I  _know_ my alphas bought, but I could still get stuff myself.

There’s a white onsie with a taco on it that says “taco ‘bout adorable” that I’m 99% percent sure I’m going to buy regardless of how much Amanda is going to hate it when someone grabs the same hanger I was grabbing. Now I'm not gonna fight someone over this onesie, but I will try my hardest to talk them out of buying it.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” the man says letting go of the hanger. “I just saw what it said and had to get it. My son is probably gonna hate it but it's my baby.”

Okay, so he's not being hostile about it. Good. ”Same here. I mean, my daughter hates puns but I think it’s adorable.” I know Amanda’s gonna hate it when I show it to her and will likely refuse to let me dress the baby in it, but I'm still gonna get it. The others will probably appreciate the pun.

The man laughs, waving a hand. ”My son is the exact same way. He made me swear not to buy pun clothes but I can’t help it.” He smiles at me and holds out a hand. “I’m Adrian.”

”I’m Danny. Nice to meet you.” 

Adrian gestures to my stomach. “So how far along are you?”

”Three months. You?” 

”Five. This is gonna be my third.” He rubs his stomach fondly and smiles. “I finally had a moment to myself and decided to do some shopping. I love my husband but he's been coddling me ever since I felt the baby kick. I can't even check the mail without him two steps behind. I know he means well, but he drives me crazy sometimes.”

I know the feeling. My Alphas mean well, but they can be suffocating sometimes. Just last week they were hesitant to let me go to the post office for Amanda unless I had company, and the post office wasn't even that far away. This was about the only spare moment alone I had. “I know exactly what you mean.”

Adrian and I end up talking and shopping for a long time. I find out that he’s an Omega too, and has a seventeen year old daughter and a twelve year old son. He’s usually on house arrest by his husband since his husband is overly cautious, but he managed to get away today with the shopping excuse. His husband is a chef at an expensive restaurant in town, but he still manages to call Adrian every hour to make sure he's okay, or texts him when he's too busy to call. Adrian is a digital artist who usually works from home but sometimes goes down to his office to show off his progress. 

We’re at the checkout line when his phone goes off. He smiles when checks his phone and laughs. “And, right on time. I swear, I love him but you'd think he's a first time father with how nervous he gets sometimes. This isn't my first rodeo."

Huh. Usually one of the Alphas- “And that’s mine.” Looks like I spoke too soon. It's Brian, reminding me that I have to take my vitamins soon. 

”Protective?” Adrian guesses. 

Like he wouldn’t believe. One man would be bad enough, but try five, six counting Robert when he comes back. “Oh yeah. I don’t even lift a finger at home. Even my daughter gets really protective when I go out.” She's in the process of searching for a pocket weapon for me to use.

”Well, I know from experience to enjoy it while you can. Once that baby is born, you can bet all that protection goes away.”

Yeah. Alex was all over me when I was pregnant, then I felt invisible after Amanda was born. He would jump whenever she made the simplest sound. I guess all the attention isn’t _so_ bad. 

All of our stuff is paid for and bagged and we head out to get something to eat. Hunger strikes us both and it makes us laugh because out stomachs rumble at the same time and it sounds like a bear growling rather than a stomach. It should've been easy to track down a place, but because of pregnancy, it’s really difficult to decide on what exactly to eat. Adrian’s stomach turns at the thought of anything spicy, neither of us can have seafood, and I’m craving a bit of salt. 

“Pizza?” He suggests after we've crossed out about twelve different ideas. “I know this pretty decent place not too far from here. It's the only thing I can think of that doesn't make me want to puke. Also I just love pizza.”

”I can’t even remember the last time I had pizza.” I changed my diet so much after I got pregnant that I hadn’t considered having a slice of pizza in forever. Everyone's been telling me that the way I used to eat pizza (about four or five slices and like twelve bread sticks slathered in marinara) was unhealthy and I had to curb that. And by curb, they meant  _cut it out completely._  It hurt me to have to give up such an integral part of my life, but I had gotten over it with the new meals I've been eating and the diet I'm used to.

Until now. Now I feel like having pizza.

“My kids thrive on pizza,” Adrian says with a laugh. “They’ll do anything for us to have pizza night twice in a row. They'll contribute all of their allowance if it means we have pizza instead of my husband cooking.”

”Pizza suddenly sounds amazing right now.” I definitely feel a withdrawal coming on. It's been about four months since I've had pizza. I used to have it twice a week at the minimum. "As long as we're not going to Thirsty's Pizza, I'm good." I've been there a few times too many with the twins, so I'd rather have a change of scenery.

"Wait, where?"

* * *

Top Slice Pizzeria was a very classy looking place in the main district of downtown. I don't normally go _all_ the way downtown, just partway to visit Mat or go to the store, so that explained why I had never seen nor heard of it before. The interior is a mostly brick and tile, all in a dark brown color that made the rest of the decor pop. All of the pizza was made in a large brick oven and always made to order. Adrian says it's a family place, run by a kind old grandfather, his kids and their kids. It's a really nice place; I should bring Amanda here one day. Or...maybe I can keep it a secret. Amanda and I have a place we're dedicated to and Rico would be devastated if he found out I went somewhere else. So would Amanda now that I think about it.

Maybe I should keep this little excursion to myself. 

I thought it would be a fight between Adrian and I over what to order since our tastes probably vary, but lucky for us, Top Slice lets you customize your pizza in whatever fashion you want. Adrian wanted Hawaiian, the heathen, and I wanted something with meat, cheese, and onions because screw it I deserve it; I've been good the past few months so I can spoil myself, can't I?

We take a table near the door to sit and wait and just talk. Adrian is actually a freelance digital, and he takes on a great deal of clients every day who had a range of ideas for whatever idea they needed. Adrian had a bunch of sketches with him because he had to keep tweaking ideas every minute of every hours. I thought they were all great, but experience with Amanda and her pictures taught me to never speak those words because Adrian would see the faults I didn't even know existed. But we did manage to talk about simple things while we snaked on garlic twists and drank water.

"Wait, so oregano isn't a salad?"

"No Adrian, oregano isn't a salad. I've gone through the same thing with my daughter and I know oregano isn't a salad. I have a friend super into fitness and stuff so I know what does and doesn't constitute as part of a salad or a whole salad. Oregano doesn't count."

Adrian huffs and tears a twist apart. "Okay, but you can put it in salad," he points out. 

"But if we counted everything that we put in a salad, then a lot of stuff is technically classified as salad. And you can't say that just because it has leaves that it's a salad." Amanda had gotten Rico, our pizza guy, to try and help convince me but I wasn't going to be swayed.

"But there are oregano salad recipes."

"Probably because oregano is a main ingredient, not the entire salad." It feels like arguing with Amanda over this. But I'm trying not to laugh because Adrian is completely serious about this.

Adrian huffs again. "Alright fine. But we're not ending this discussion here." He picks up another garlic twist and takes a bite out of it. "So what do you do for work? Anything exciting?"

I've had enough excitement in my life thank you. "I don't really... _do_ anything at the moment. I mean, I'm in the process of trying to open a bakery, but progress has been a bit slow since I got pregnant. I might not be able to open until after I give birth and by then, I'll have a baby to take care of; I might not even be able to do anything until long after I've had the baby." I've been thinking about that a lot in my spare time. and it doesn't seem like I can set up and open for another year, maybe longer. It doesn't bother me too much because my family comes first, but I feel bad that all I do is sit around during the day. And since everything gets done for me, I don't really have any chores or errands to do. I'm kinda just...there.

"You're a baker? That's really cool. But, why wait so long? Couldn't you maybe get a loan and open up right now?"

I've been putting a lot of thought into this lately and thinking about all the possible options. There are so many that are...less than ideal. "Loans are way too risky, especially when I don't have a job to begin with. Banks aren't usually too keen on loaning money to ambitious people or people who don't have proof that they can pay it back. And I already looked at potential spots, but only one of them is decent enough. The out of pocket cost is going to be a bit of a stretch, but I could manage with some planning and maybe some help. It's just...I know what I _want_ to do, and I know realistically what I _have_ to do, I just wish it were easier." If I have to put my dream on hold for a little longer, than so be it. I have to do what's best for me and my family. I have to think about more than just myself when I make these decisions.

"That is a bit of an issue." Adrian unravels a twist while he thinks. "Wait, I know! Why don't you do it from home, like I do with art?"

A home bakery? "I never thought of that." The only thing I ever really thought about was working with Mat like he proposed a couple months ago, and I was still debating the pros and cons of that. The pros seemed to outweigh the cons, but there was always a new factor to think about.  But a home bakery? Could I even pull that off? "Is that even a thing?"

Adrian nods. "Sure! Before my husband and I moved to Maple Bay, he and a friend ran their own little kitchen at their place. It went pretty well, and now they're both chefs at really great restaurants. Of course it took some time before they got popular and moved to a bigger location, but they're both at really great places now because of where they started. I bet if you build up a reputation at home and prove that you have something really good, people will be lining up to offer you spots in their bakeries and kitchens."

That  _does_ sound like a good idea, but I would definitely have to give that some serious thought..."I guess I never thought of it that way. I'll definitely give it some deeper thought now."

A man comes to the table and sets down our pizza in front of us, along with two waters since neither of us can drink much else. Adrian loads the top with mozzarella and I sprinkle some garlic on my side before I take a piece on my side and dig in. I never thought I would be so happy to have pizza after a long abstinence, but it feels good to have one again and I am not letting my Alphas keep me from this any longer.

Adrian tears out a slice from his side and goes to take a bite, but looks up at me. "Want a slice?" Adrian holds out a slice of his monstrous Hawaiian style.

"What? Gross. No thank you." I'm perfectly content with my onions and meat over here. No way am I eating that. It even smells weird.

He looks highly offended. "What? Why not?"

Because it's disgusting you absolute heathen. "Because who puts fruit on pizza? It's an abomination."

"It's delicious! Have you even tried it?"

"No, but I don't need to. Pineapple doesn't belong with tomatoes and cheese and meat. It's a fruit."

"Tomato is technically a fruit. Oxford even confirmed it, and if Oxford said it, it must be real."

This is the debate I've been dreading ever since Hawaiian pizza became a big thing. I thought I would do it with Amanda, but it's happening now and I might just lose my new friend. "Okay, Oxford confirmed that tomatoes are fruit, but you can't just  _do_ that. Just like you can't make anything a cupcake." Believe me, I've tried. It doesn't work out well all the time. I think I've only successfully created was a coffee cupcake, and that took a lot of effort to get that particular recipe right. Oh, but Mat would probably like those. I have to make those for him one day; I know he'll go crazy for them.

"You can totally make anything a cupcake."

"Don't try to change the subject on me. And I'm a baker; I've made my share of odd cupcakes and I know what you can and can't use. And even if you do use something, you have to think about the consistency, the frosting and what you top it with if you choose to top it with something. It's a really difficult thing to get into, but bottom line, you can't just make use anything to make a cupcake."

"Alright, I respect a man of his craft, but I cannot respect someone who won't even try." He holds his slice out again. "Just an tiny bite."

"No."

"C'mon. One bite."

"No."

"You can't hate something you've never tried."

"I hate the ocean and I've never tried swimming out there."

Adrian thinks. "Okay, that's totally justifiable. I mean, you can't see the bottom and anything can be lurking down there."

Finally someone gets it. I knew I wasn't crazy. "Thank you."

Adrian seems to forget out little argument and we resume eating and idly talking about this and that. Adrian is hoping for another girl when he gives birth and I'm just hoping for a healthy kid. I didn't tell Adrian about my little predicament because while he seemed nice, I've learned that not every nice person you meet could change at the drop of a hat. Don't get me wrong, Adrian hasn't shown any outward signs of deception, but Joseph hid well enough that I didn't pick up on anything until I was trapped. I just have to be cautious with him.

"Wait a minute..." Adrian looks down at our pizza and back at me. "You changed the subject on me! Here!"

"Adrian I'm not trying that!"

* * *

It feels like I've only sat down for ten minutes when Amanda unlocks the door and plops down on the couch with me. "Hey Pops," Amanda greets, giving me a hug.

"Hey Panda. How was school?"

"It was alright. We did a lot of cramming for finals, so it's been really boring. I've studied like crazy so it feels like I'm crowding my brains with facts. But my teachers did tell me my grades really improved that last few months. Oh, and one of my teachers told me about a scholarship." She hands me a blue piece of paper with a lot of text written on it. "It's called Women in the Arts. Basically, it's a scholarship for female students thinking about majoring in any type of fine art department, and photography counts as one of them. It'll pay tuition and supplies if I can get it."

I take a minute to skim over the details, and it seems like a good deal. Amanda has to write a pretty lengthy essay about where her passion for her art, photography in this case, came from, why she wants to pursue it, and what it means to her. Then, she has to submit a portfolio of her best work to the company and wait and see. The deadline was in a month, but I think Amanda could probably do it. "You have a portfolio somewhere, don't you?"

She nods excitedly. "I updated it recently with some of the black and white photos I took at the park. And some golden oldies I have copies of. I'll get to work on it. Promise. How was your day?"

"You'll be happy to know I made a friend." Adrian and I didn't want to part earlier, but his husband was calling like crazy and my Alphas were getting worried since I hadn't checked in with them like I should have. We both had to leave else we'd have crazy protective Alphas freaking out and tearing up downtown trying to find us. "His name is Adrian and I met him going to get baby clothes and we just clicked. He's a pretty nice guy. And shares your belief that oregano is a salad." We argued for the better part of an hour after he finally managed to eat a piece off of his side. My argument was that just because it was a pile of leaves didn't mean it was a salad. Adrian argued that exact point, that leaves basically made a salad. It was an argument that did not end well. Or at all actually.  

"That automatically makes him cool in my book."

"And he actually got me to eat Hawaiian pizza." We almost caused a scene with how loud we were arguing, so I eventually submitted and tried a bite. It wasn't as good as I heard it was, and I don't know why people sing its praises, but it's tolerable.

"And now he's not as cool. That's disgusting." Amanda makes a face probably reminiscent of that one I gave Adrian when he first suggested it. Huh. So this is what it feels like.

"No no wait. I'm not saying it's good. Not at all. But it's not  _bad_."

"Putting fruit on a pizza is like putting avocado on burgers. It's one of those things you just don't do. You aren't my dad anymore if you keep talking like this."

"Honey, I told you: I'm not saying it's good or that I like it, I'm just saying that maybe you've misjudged it before you even tried it."

Amanda sticks her tongue out. "Nah, its probably cravings. And wait, you had pizza?"

Oh yeah. Forgot I wasn't really supposed to have pizza. Pregnancy and all. "Before you get on me-"

"Without me? Not cool Pops. I mean, I even went on a health kick for you, but you had a cheat day without me? I'm hurt." Amanda puts a hand to her chest and shakes her head. "We've been in the pizza game forever! How could you do this?!"

"Yeah, but you did eat a whole pizza with the twins without me."  

Amanda huffs. "Okay, but you kinda let us have it." 

She has a point, but they wore down my defenses and made me get them a pizza. It was not of my own choosing. "That makes us even then."

Amanda shrugs. "So this Adrian...are you gonna be hanging out with him a lot more now? 'Cause I know you get lonely in the daytime, and I don't really want you in the house all the time, but if you're with somebody, I'll feel better."

"Yeah, we're definitely gonna hang out more. Adrian's husband doesn't like him home alone all the time either, so we’ll hang out. But we're still gonna watch daytime shows together because he's all caught up with _Young and Lovely_ and can watch the new episodes with me. We'll probably go out after that."

"Okay yeah, but no spoilers." Amanda stands and grabs the paper and her school bag. "Alright, I've got more fights on the internet to start. If you need help with dinner, let me know."

"I think I'll be fine." I was gonna make a nice pasta since it's easy to make and won't require me on my feet for long. I can still make dinner for us, everyone's just been overreacting. "You go start internet wars. Make a bunch of political statements and watch the fireworks; that always gets people rioting."

"Nah, now that I've joined a new fandom, I've got peeps to connect with over  _Young and Lovely._ And you think political statements are bad? You haven't seen what happens when you start a shipwar. Those are the real dumpster fires."

Fandom? Shipwars? Between her and Carmensita, I cannot keep up anymore. I'm just going to assume she'll have fun. And also look up those terms later because it feels like she's speaking a different language. "You go have fun with your...peeps. I'm probably gonna finish my debate with Adrian since he's so adamant that you can make anything a cupcake." He's been texting me over what ingredients he thinks you can put in a cupcake and I've been rejecting almost all of them.

"But you totally can."

"Amanda, I'm not doing this with you too. Go start your wars."

* * *

A bit early this time, everyone shows up for _Young and Lovely_ , bringing their own ice cream as an apology for eating all of mine last time. I didn't really mind since Amanda and I hadn't been eating it anyways, but it was the thought that counted. I ended up making cookies while I waited because I was restless after I made dinner and there was distinct lack of dessert in the house that I needed to be rectified.  

"Fifteen minutes!" Carmensita says excitedly as every settles into their spots. The Alphas take positions on the couch with me while the kids are spread out across the floor. "I  _need_ to know if Maxwell's going to jail! There's no way he's getting away with this!"

He does actually get away with it. Maxwell has connections with the police force and they get him off by falsifying documents and making the whole investigation invalid, and yes, I lost my shit when that happened, but I'm under oath to not spoil anything until they're all caught up. I can't wait to see their reaction when Maxwell gets off scott-free. "I'm obligated to keep silent."

"Maxwell can't get off, can he?" Daisy asks. "He's involved in a drug-trade and money laundering, and he killed a man-"

"That hasn't been proved yet," Briar points out.

"He's involved with a man's murder," Daisy corrects. "How could he escape jail?"

"Maybe changing his face again," Ernest mutters quietly.

Oh yeah. Maxwell changed his face two times in the last ten years. No one he worked with or had relationships with knew what his true identity was because every time someone got close, he'd do a face switch and start all over.

Wait...how did Ernest even know that? That reveal doesn't happening for another four episodes, when Detective Lawrence runs a check for Maxwell's information and finds a bunch of data that didn't match. Unless... "Ernest, how did you know that?! That doesn't happen for another few episodes!"

Ernest looks absolutely horrified while Carmensita shouts 'spoilers' and covers her ears. Amanda lets out a large gasp, then smirks. "You watch  _Young and Lovely,_ don't you Ernest?"

"What? No I don't! Someone in my class was blathering on about it!" There's a flush on Ernest's cheeks that he desperately tries to hide by ducking his head. Amanda however, is not going to let him get away. She grabs him by the hoodie to try and get him to confess.

"Just admit it! You like this stuff!"

That causes a slight uproar as Amanda tries to get Ernest to confess that he's a bit farther in  _Young and Lovely_ then we were. Ernest was adamant that someone at school spoiled it for him, which is why he knew. All the shouting causes River to start screeching as well, not wanting to be left out. Lucien teases him good-naturedly about it and Hugo tries to hide his smile. 

This little spat continues until Amanda is sitting on Ernest's back and refuses to get up unless he spills. And yes, he eventually admits that he turned it on one day while he skipped school and just kept watching. But according to him, it wasn't because it was good, but because it gave him something to watch since nothing good came on during the day. After everyone calms down over this shocking revelation, the credits from whatever game show was playing begin, and we all get comfortable in our respective spots and the ice cream tubs are opened up. Cookies are quickly passed around to everyone who wants one, and the volume is turned up to a suitable level. Brian wraps an arm around my shoulder and lets me lean against him for a little while, knowing that I might fall asleep since I've already seen these few episodes. Mat slouches against my legs with Carmensita in his lap while Craig is stretched across the rest of the couch, resting his head in my lap. 

I basically doze while the other get absorbed in the episode. This one is going to be a lot calmer than the next few, which is saying something considering you can't go one episode without some kind of major drama going down. I did't tell anyone, but this entire episode is going to be Erica's whining and Maxwell sneaking around again. Nothing too major, but if you pay attention, they drop a small hint to something that happens later on that will really tip the scales. I wonder whose gonna catch it.

* * *

Around the last half-hour of the final episode was when everyone began to get restless. We had to cover the younger kids eyes when a particularly raunchy scene happened, but there was no a I guess they were all tense because nothing much happened in this episode, as I guessed. And, surprisingly, no one picked up on that little hint from earlier in the episode, so they'll really be in for it later. I can see it on their faces that they're either really disappointed or waiting for the inevitable cliffhanger. But there isn't one so I can already sense the disappointment they're gonna have. 

My phone buzzes from my pocket, drawing my attention off of the show and to the message. It's Adrian, which doesn't surprise me seeing as we've been talking most of the day after we parted ways.

**_what're you doin tomorrow? my husband has to cover someone and he doesn't trust me in the house alone._**

_i'm not doing anything. and why doesn't he trust you?_

**_he thinks I’ll adopt another dog, which we already have four of. and three cats. all of which i got when i was home alone. we also have fish i bought when i was bored so, go figure. anyways i can't be alone anymore and i wanted to know if you wanted to hang_ **

_sure, i'm free. also, you should surprise your husband and get a hamster next. or a snake_

**_pfft, he'll flip his lid if i get a snake. he's terrified of them_**

_**but that's a great idea that we're definitely doing tomorrow so clear your schedule cause now i want a python** _

_okay sure. python shopping it is_

**_awesome!_ **

It looks like I'm helping Adrian find a python tomorrow. Which honestly sounds like a lot of fun. I've seriously been considering getting a dog for when Amanda's gone so maybe I can scope out a potential pet. Sure I'll have a baby in the house but having a puppy to keep me company sounds awesome. Of course I'll have to talk it over with my Alphas, but they haven't denied me anything yet, I doubt they'll start now. 

"What? It's over! That was so boring! Boo!"

All the kids start booing in unison over the terrible conclusion to the episode, while I laugh silently to myself. I knew it was coming but I didn't think it would be this bad. Oh, they are gonna flip their shit tomorrow. I guarantee it. That will be a dumpster fire I can't wait for.

"I can see why you started to boycott this," Mat says from the floor. "I'm already fed up with Maxwell."

I laugh. I do remember saying something about never watching it again. I mean, they killed off Michael! No one was happy about that! And i know, because I checked the internet. It's a war-zone out there. "Maxwell is only a  _part_ of why I boycotted this. We're getting to that part soon."

"I never quite pictured the day where I would willingly watch a soap opera," Hugo mutters from somewhere near my right leg. "They always seemed overly complicated and a complete waste of time."

"And now?" Mat teases.

"Now I'm having conflicted feelings. On one hand, every plot point seems to come out of nowhere and makes it hard to keep up with the main story line. On the other hand, it's interesting to see how these stories connect, even if they connect in outrageous ways."

He does bring up an interesting point. I wasn't a soap opera kind of guy either, then I started watching this. The story all started with a wife cheating on her husband with his brother then dissolved into...the mess we're watching right now. And the main story line did get lost somewhere along the line. I think there was something about a kidnapping and a porno, but that got lost when people started getting murdered and junk. But it's a quality show. "It's organized chaos. It'll all make sense down the line."

"Does it really?" He sounds both skeptical and intrigued. That is a combination I haven't heard from him yet.

"Nope. It gets crazier." Just wait until they find out about the porno thing and how Maxwell's involved in that. 

We  _should_ start cleaning up and getting the kids ready for bed but I don't want to move and I think everyone feels the same. The twins are trying not to fall asleep, River is fast asleep, Lucien has his headphones in, Amanda is channel surfing for anything else to watch, Ernest is texting, and Daisy and Carmensita are playing a card game. I know that Brian's asleep just by how even his breathing is getting and Craig has already drifted off on my lap. Everyone else is slowly starting to drift and I feel like one of them. I know we'll all probably have stiff necks tomorrow but moving does not sound ideal. I'm so comfy right now; I want to do like Craig and just sleep.

"We should get going soon," Hugo mumbles, sounding as drowsy as I feel. "The kids have school tomorrow. We have to get them ready."

"Yeah, but that requires movement. And I can't exactly move." Not without waking Craig and Brian, which I would hate to do. I know they'll be uncomfortable come the morning and I don't want the kids to have to all rush out to school. But moving...ugh, fine. "Craig?"

He doesn't stir. I jiggle my leg just a tiny bit to try and jostle him awake, but he doesn't stir. "Craig, you gotta wake up." I gently nudge Brian with my shoulder. "You too Brian." They still refuse to move. Brian makes a noise in the back of his throat, but he only turns his head and bit and goes back to sleep. And this is now going to be a bit of an issue. Craig used to be a  _heavy_ sleeper back in college and rolled out of bed when he wanted. I know he has a sleep schedule set in place, but I don't want him to mess it up. And I know Brian usually leaves for work really early in the morning, meaning he should be getting to bed really soon. "Craig, Brian. Wake up."

Craig stirs a little bit, but when I shake my leg again, he blearily opens his eyes. "What time is it?"

"Late." He takes a minute to rub his eyes before sitting up and rubbing his neck. I knew it; sore necks all around. "If you slept any longer, you wouldn't have been able to sleep tonight."

"Right. Yeah." He winces and rubs his neck again, stretching to work out the kinks in his back. "C'mon girls. We should get ready to go."

I don't know what kind of sleeper Brian is, but he hasn't managed to wake up yet. He must be knocked out! He isn't snoring, but he's definitely out out it. It's only when I manage to shake him a little harder does he finally manage to open his eyes and yawn. "Huh?"

"You fell asleep. The episode is over."

"Oh." He takes his arm from around me, which makes me miss the loss of warmth, and stretches his arms. "How late is it?"

"Late enough. Daisy's got school and you have to go to work. Everyone's getting ready to go." At least, they're trying to shake off the sleepiness enough to leave. I think we all got a little too comfortable with such a boring episode that we all kind of relaxed. It was nice for the moment but not if we want to sleep tonight.

* * *

**_are you ready to go find a python? cuz i sure am._ **

**_im outside btw_ **

**_also we have to hurry cuz the guy my hubby’s covering is coming in for the last half of the shift, which means we have to go now before het gets back_**

I never thought I'd see the day where I was actually going to go see a live snake and maybe pet one, but here I am. I've seen things where people claim that snakes aren't that bad and are actually cute, but I wasn't sure whether to believe them or not. Now I'm going to experience it first hand and just thinking about it has me a bit on edge. What if I get bit? Or if he gets bit? That is not a conversation I really want to have.

Adrian is waiting in a silver minivan, much like the one Craig has for the girls. Except Adrian's has a lot of dog toys and DVDs in it. He's practically bouncing in his seat while I buckle in, smiling so wide his cheeks must hurt. He starts talking before I even sit down.

"Alright, I was thinking we get a ball python, preferably a highway or a spider. I don't exactly know what breeds they have, but don't think I did this impulsively." He hands me a couple of papers from the glove compartment, all print-outs of different snake breeds and care. "I've actually wanted a snake for a while now, but you saying that last night really set it in stone. I'm getting a snake." 

He speaks with the same determination as Amanda did when she started to learn how to drive. Like nothing was going to stop him from getting this snake. And all the papers in my hands and the look in his eyes prove it. "Did you tell your kids?"

"I would've, but my son would've told my husband the second I mentioned and my daughter isn't the best at keeping secrets and can be easily bribed with good food. With my husband being such a good cook, secrets don't last long in our house. You're the only person who knows and won't tell him." 

I know exactly how that feels. "Your secret is safe with me. I can't get bribed with anything, but I can get anything out my daughter. I've just gotta make her a dessert and she'll spill. Usually cookies. When I make cookies, she gets suspicious about what they mean, but usually tells me what I want to know." She spray-painted a wall in her room and made up a bunch of excuses for why the house smelled so funny. I made her triple chocolate cookies and she confessed everything from the past month that she did, most of that stuff things I had no clue she did. I let her keep the paint on the wall because I was going to let her redecorate anyways, but the others things were nice to know. "If your husband doesn't bake, counter-bribe them with dessert and they should keep silent. Kids love dessert."

"Yeah, I'd try that, but I can't bake to save my life." He shakes his head. "I tried once, but it went very badly. My husband banned me from ever touching cake mix ever again. And he's not even the best at it either, but he's better than me."

"I thought he was a chef?" Aren't chef supposed to be pros at like, all kinds of cooking stuff? Or have all the cooking shows I've been watching lately lie to me?

"He is, but y'know how some people are good at one specific thing in a subject but complete ass at something else? That's how he is in the kitchen. He's amazing at all those overly-complicated things you see on TV, but he lacks in desserts. He's been working on it for the past couple years, but he hasn't done anything that really 'wows' you, ya know? Well, maybe not cause apparently you're great at baking so you probably 'wow' people all the time, but it's difficult for us not very talented people."

"Hey, I used to be not very talented at one point. It takes practice." Trust me, there was a point in time when I was terrible. When I could finally use the stove alone, there was a long of trial and error in everything. And I know that my mother would just humor me even though I burnt or under-cooked a lot of stuff until I improved significantly. "And on that subject, I have a couple cookies in my bag for you to try. But you're driving, so it'll have to wait."

Adrian blows a raspberry. "Ugh, well now I want a cookie."

"And you'll have to wait."

* * *

I'll admit it, snakes aren't as scary as I thought.

All of the snakes are curled into little balls or coiled around themselves because they're scared. A couple of them have their snouts poking out but don't peek out at us, and a couple are so tightly wound up I can't make heads or tails of them. I do love all the different patterns on the snake and their eye colors. I'm used to only seeing cobras and rattlesnakes, so all of these new breeds are interesting.

Adrian's having a good time. As soon as we walked into the store, he made a beeline for the reptile section because he knew that if he didn't he would get another dog, and fell in love with the different snakes. He didn't know which one he wanted and had about three different in mind. Or all of them but I'm supposed to be his impulse control. I'm also doing a bad job of that.

"Which one do you like?" Adrian gestures to all the tanks. "I'm partial to...all of them."

Damn. So am I. Now that I got a better look at them, they're all pretty cute. Maybe I should get a snake instead of a dog... "Now, I know I'm supposed to be your impulse control, but I am also partial to all of them. I don't know, maybe you should flip a coin?"

"Umm..." Adrian bites his lip worriedly, then turns to the associate. "Which one do you recommend?"

He's been quietly laughing the whole time while Adrian and I struggled to pick a snake. He probably deals with people struggling to pick a pet all the time. "Well, ball pythons are considered a good breed to get. They're nonvenomous, generally easy to care for, and they come in beautiful colors. For a beginner, I'd recommend that breed to start with." He opens one of the tanks and lifts a curled up white snake, holding it out to Adrian. "Would you like to hold her?"

Adrian looks like Amanda did when she finished her camera. "Can I really?"

"Sure. She's a little tense right now because she's a little frightened of you two, but she won't strike unless she feels like she's in immediate danger. And she's one of the calmer ones, so she won't even strike at you in warning. Trust me, you'll be alright holding her." He places the snake into Adrian's palm. The snake is small enough that she fits without risk of falling. She does stay all curled up however, and doesn't flinch when she's moved into his palm. Adrian goes still the minute her scales hit his skin. The snake uncurls just a tiny bit, looking like a goopy bagel in his hand.

"She's...she's so beautiful," Adrian whispers. "Danny, I want her. I want this one."

"You sure? You only held the one." I really am terrible impulse control.

"Well I don't want to get an adult snake that might strike at me or my kids, or one that's venomous and might hurt us. I'd rather get one that I can raise and who'll get used to us rather than a big snake that could get aggressive. Plus, ball pythons were the breed I was looking at from the beginning." He turns to the keep. "This one. I definitely want this one."

While Adrian goes to pay for everything he'll need and get food, I make my way over to the dogs. I know I shouldn't even  _think_ about it, but we're here and I seriously want to get a dog. It'll be a nice daytime companion and I think it's time I think about getting one for the house. Amanda will get to name him or her, but I want to scope out potential dogs.

There...are...so many puppies here. So many adorable puppies that I want them all. As soon as I walk up to where they're being held, a swarm of puppies race to the edge of their container and paw and jump up to try and play. There are so many different breeds that I can't choose. They're all playful, excitable little puppies who seem really happy to have someone new to play with. And while I may not have the space back home to accommodate them and a baby, I certainly want to try. A lot of them nip at my fingers while others try to bite at the bars holding them in. Where is Adrian when I need him? I need him to be my impulse control. 

Some of the dogs bowl one another over to try and get pet, while others try to climb the walls of their enclosure to get to me. There are a couple puppies napping, and bigger dogs laying in a seperate pen looking at me with slight interest. All of them are potential house pets and I can’t decide which one I want. I know my heart is set on a dog, but there’s just...so many dogs.

”Find one you want?” Adrian kneels beside me and scratches a pug’s stomach. “I’m biased towards Pomeranians. They’re like, 90% fluff.”

”I can’t decide. It was a mistake to come over here because now I can’t come to a decision because I want them all." We need to leave before I adopt them all.

"Let's go." Adrian gently pulls me to my feet. "I already paid for everything. And now I want another dog. Let's go before we both get a dog." He has to tug my arm a few times before I finally get my feet to work and head towards Adrian's stuff. A couple of puppies whine behind me which almost breaks my resolve,

* * *

Tonight, we're all in the living room again, but for a different reason. Unfortunately,  _Young and Lovely_ doesn't come on, which is a bit disappointing for everyone who isn't caught up, but we all gathered in the living room anyways to watch a movie. Not  _Frozen, Mulan,_ or  _Atlantis_ (or _Shrek_ because Carmensita can't take the memes and Mat has just discovered them) because there is a lot of bias between us, but something we can all enjoy. No horror or thriller because of the younger kids and nothing too "dated" because us older guys would be the only ones who understood the jokes. The playing field was a bit uneven due to those factors, but we're going to find something. Or, we're letting the kids fight it out because we don't really mind whatever movie they pick as long as it stays PG. We do still have younger kids to worry about and there are some things that would be weird to explain.

"So what did you do today?" Damien asks while the kids get into another argument over which movie in the something-or-other cinematic verse they should watch now.

"I almost got a dog." Those dogs were pleading for me to take any one of them. And I would've had Adrian not had to hurry home to beat his husband there. I'm going back for ine and no one is going to stop me. 

"Danny." That warning comes from Craig, who used to be my impulse control back in college but horribly failed when we hid that dog in our dorm room. That had been my idea and we would've pulled it off for longer had some guy on the lower floor not had a really bad dog allergy. He'd been getting sick too often to be coincidence and someone finally figured out that maybe there was a dog. The DA had to track the source and finally realized that our mysterious third roommate was not in fact a foreign exchange student with a strange cough and speech disorder. The same tone he used when I first pleaded for us to take in the dog is the same tone he's using now. Only this time, I have to convince four other people along with him.

"I said almost. I didn't at the last minute." I don't dare tell them how close I actually came to getting that dog. Or that I want to go back for it. Or that my heart breaks every time I think about those pitiful whines. Or that I'm secretly planning to go back for one or all of them. "No, I was hanging out with Adrian."

It's barely there and I almost don't notice it at first, but there's a sudden tension in the room that wasn't present before. I knew something was off when we all sat down, but I didn't feel any tension in the room. Now I can feel the barely there tension in their bodies, and because we're all cuddled together, they can't lie to me and say it isn't there. Maybe they had stressful days today and I didn't catch it at first, but there is definitely something going on. 

"Who's Adrian?" Brian asks. His tone doesn't sound as...friendly, as it usual does. Is he tired?

"Adrian's just a guy I met in the baby store. We started talking and hit it off, so we've been hanging out with each other for the past few days and it's been fun. He's pretty cool." When we're not having our silly debates, we're usually talking about our past pregnancies. We've been sharing tips on how we deal with the symptoms, what the first time was like, and what we're hoping for this time around. Having someone to talk to over pregnancy was refreshing and it gave me a new point of view. 

"You haven't mentioned him before," Hugo points out. Why did he sound different too? Maybe school was rough for him today...

And wait, I hadn't mentioned Adrian before? Strange. I thought I had with how how much we've been talking, but obviously not. I remember telling Amanda, but I guess I didn't mention him again after that. "My mistake. I thought I had brought him up."

"So, he's been the guy you've been texting so much?" This comes from Mat, and it startles me how off he sounds. What is up with everyone tonight?

"Uh...yeah." That makes me put my phone down self-consciously. I guess I _have_ been texting him a lot and ignoring them, and I really didn't mean to. But why did that question sound so hostile? Maybe it was my imagination, but that had more heat behind it than it should've. Did I say something wrong? "Sorry. He's just been excited lately, so he's been sending me a bunch of pictures and video of his snake."

The tension only grows from there, so thick I wonder if the kids can feel it or if its only me. I want to brush it off as me making things up, but it feels like the air has changed and I feel weird. Even worse, it feels like everyone subtly pulls away from me and that stings a little. I definitely think I did something wrong now. The cuddle pile isn't a pile anymore and I don't have any contact with any of them. No one is close to me and I feel...cold. "Guys-"

"We've decided!" Amanda shouts, stopping the conversation before I could try to diffuse the situation. "We're watching  _Moana._ On account that no one has seen it before, except for Daisy. But she promised no spoilers." Amanda queues up the movie before any of us can respond or say anything. I doubt we were going to though.

With that interruption, all the kids make themselves comfortable and the Alphas do the same. Though, it's not the same. We usually all cram on the couch and it's really warm, but I feel so alone. I know they're only a couple inches away, but that's  _never_ how it is. There's barely an inch between us when we're usually on the couch together and now it feels like we're so far apart. And now I  _know_ I did something wrong.

* * *

When the movie's over and everyone goes to leave, it feels even colder. They all tell me goodnight, but it didn't sound or feel like when they did the previous nights. No one hugged me and they sounded really stiff before they left. It makes me feel...it makes my chest hurt. Did I offend them somehow? Because I don't think I said anything bad, but maybe it was because I didn't tell them about all the times I went out in the past week. After the Max ordeal, I know they're hesitant about me just wandering around without them knowing. Maybe me not telling them where I was going made them upset. After all, they're just worried about our well-being.

But...I didn't think they'd get that upset about it. Sure, they would probably freak, but to outright pull away? Maybe it was something else...

"You okay Pops?" Amanda slides onto the couch beside me. "You've been sitting here just staring. Everyone left ten minutes ago. You should be getting to bed."

"No, I'm not okay." I'm miserable. "I think I did something wrong. Only, I'm not really sure what I did." There's a flutter in my stomach from the baby, probably telling that I couldn't have done anything wrong, but I can't believe that. Thank you for trying Baby Sharp, but I know something's up.

"I did notice a distinct lack of cuddling tonight." 

I know she's making a joke, but it stings. There  _was_ a lack of cuddling tonight. "I know. I just...I don't know what I did that would make them that mad! I didn't check in with them like I should have, but I did let them know that I went out, I ate, I took my vitamins. You know? All the normal stuff I should tell them."

"Maybe it's because you didn't tell them  _where_?" Amanda suggests. And that makes a lot of sense. I told them I was about, when I was heading home, and when I got home, but I didn't tell them  "Or something? I dunno. It does sound strange. Or maybe they all had bad days and took it out on you without realizing it. I can't be the judge of that, but I know they don't mean it. You don't just cuddle with someone for days on edge and then just stop. You should talk to them about it; maybe they'll tell you what's bothering them."

"...what if it's me that's bothering them? What if they realized that this is all too much? Seven Alphas, one pregnant omega? What if it's hitting them that-"

"Nope!" Amanda clamps her hand over my mouth and vigorously shakes her head. "No way! That is  _not_ it! I don't want you to get into your depressed mood again! I refuse to believe that they're sick of you or anything like that!" She calms down when she realizes that she's shouting at me and clears her throat. "Sorry. But it's not like that," she says softer. "It's just a case of a bad day. You'll see."

I want to believe her, and so does the baby, but I just can't bring myself to. She might not have felt it, but I did. There was tension literally out of nowhere and they would've told me if something was bothering them.

Right?

* * *

Wrong.

I wake up without morning sickness, which is really great because I've been really pukey lately, but I can't help the feeling that something isn't right when I start making breakfast. Around the time I usually get a message, I know something is up. All I get is a simple good morning from all of them. And I mean a simple good morning. No picture or meme or emoji. Just a simple 'good morning'. And that's it. I don't even get anything back when I send them replies. I can see that they read my messages, but there are no little dots indicating that they were replying to me. They just read it and kept doing...whatever they were doing 

Amanda sits at the table and lays her head down, groaning loudly. It's odd behavior for a Saturday, and even odder that she's up so early, but I guess she couldn't sleep well last night.

"Every alright Amanda?"

"Yeah," she mumbles. "I didn't go to sleep last night until...what time is it?"

"Eight."

"Seven-thirty. I didn't go t bed until seven-thirty." She lifts her head to take a sip of orange juice, then lays her head down again.

"What? Why not?" She's stayed up doing homework before, but never an entire night.

She lifts her head again. I see deep bags under her eyes that definitely shouldn't be there. "See, when you use certain social media, you always say you're gonna put the phone down, but you never actually put the phone down. You just log out of one app then open another. And then you're like "alright, I'll look at one more post" but then you see its baby animals so you look at baby animals for another hour and then you find something  _else_ to look at because it like, a really intellectual post or a meme that's funny, so you keep scrolling. And then you keep scrolling and jumping from app to app until you suddenly look at the clock and realize that you wasted the night lying to yourself saying that you're gonna quit but its a lie you know all too well. And that's why I stayed up so late." And with that, she drops her head back onto the table.

"Alright, well maybe breakfast will wake you up." And I made her favorite: strawberry pancakes. She loves strawberry pancakes.

However, Amanda just groans again. "Not even the sweet smell of breakfast will-wait I smell strawberry."

I knew it. Exhaustion can be cured by pancakes. "I made pancakes. I was craving again."

"I'm awake." She sits up straight and wipes the little bit of drool from the corner of her mouth. "Any plans for today?"

Other than figuring out where I went wrong last night? "I've no clue. I know I have to check on the garden but I don't know what else. Maybe try my hand at cake pops?"

Amanda squints suspiciously at me as she take a large bite of pancake. "Hmm...whose spending the day with you today? You said garden, so Damien? Or are you hanging out what that Adrian guy again?"

"I really don't know. I mean, look at this." I show Amanda my most recent messages, the simple two words that clued me in that something was wrong. "Just 'good morning'? And nothing else? That's really strange. And after last night, I don't know about anything. And I haven't spoken to Adrian yet, so I don't know what he's doing. Either way, I feel confused. I've been trying to think of what I said last night that might've hurt their feelings, but I can't remember what I could've possibly said." I told them that I almost got a dog, but I don't see how that might've set them off. And I told them about Adrian, which I don't see as bad because we didn't even do much. It's confusing me so much that they're being so cold to me. 

"Cheer up Pops. I'll hang out with you today."

"You really want to spend the day with your dad? I thought you wanted to hang out with your friends and stuff."

Amanda shrugs. "I'm going to a ton of graduation parties in two weeks, and I have the summer before everyone moves or whatever. Plus, it's just a Saturday. We could go out to the garden, or stay inside and bake something because I'm craving brownies and we don't have any in stock and the only other person who would make some is Mat, but the Coffee Spoon is way too far away for my sleep-deprived body to handle so it's better to try and make them at home. Plus, you make really good brownies. I mean, insanely good." 

"Well, if you really don't mind..." I don't like it when she changes her plans for me. 

"I don't mind. C'mon, let's watch a really bad movie and make brownies." She sits up, far more energetic than she should be with only a half-hour of sleep. "Let's make a fay out of it! We could even go to the mall or downtown, or just take a drive. It's a nice Saturday. Let's have fun!"

She's right. I haven't spent that much one-on-one time with Amanda lately. We deserve a father-daughter day. "You know what? A drive sounds nice. Let's finish breakfast and head out."

"Yeah!" Amanda begins to eat, too fast to be healthy but she hasn't gotten sick yet. She's finished before I am, but she cleans up the kitchen while I finish eating, and even washes my plate when I finish.

We don't go out immediately; instead we turn on some music while we bake brownies to take on the trip and generally make a mess of the kitchen while they bake. We get into a water fight while we're washing the bowls out, which Amanda takes pictures of, and sing along very badly to the music playing. We probably sound like we're screeching more than singing, but we're having fun.  The brownies are finished before we know it, so we let them cool while we pack other snacks

We drive for about an hour, tossing room colors back and forth, playing driving games, stopping to take pictures, and eating brownies along the way. I don't remember the last time we took a drive; I guess we haven't had that much time together. She's been busy with her finals and last minute college prep, and even though we're in the house a lot, we don't actually spend one-on-one time together. And thinking about it, I don't know how much time we'll have together. Amanda hasn't gotten a college response yet, and while I know she got into a good school, I don't know when she'll have to move out. t's an eventuality I don't want to face yet, but I know it's going to happen soon. I should use this time the best I can.

"Pops?"

"It's nothing Amanda. Let's start heading back."

* * *

This is going terribly. This is going very terribly. 

When I invited Adrian over for lunch, I thought it would be a good idea for him to meet my Alphas so there was no confusion if he saw me with a different guy each day, so I asked if he wouldn't mind meeting a couple other friends of mine. He was fine with that idea, and I thought it would all be fine. I thought we would all talk and laugh and have a good time. I thought we could be adults and talk about something or other and that the guys would feel comfortable with my hanging out with someone. But instead, it's a very tense affair. The second Adrian walked through the door, things got really awkward. He introduced himself and was really kind, but all he got in return was a chilly reception. I tried to brush it off and keep Adrian happy, but I knew something was up. I tried to talk to them, but they tried to tell me that nothing was wrong and that everything was fine; they just wanted to talk with Adrian. I believed them, thinking that we could all chat outside.

But it only got worse from there.

Adrian, Mat and Hugo all started talking about art, but when Adrian showed them some of his sketches, their response was highly critical. Something about inconsistency in his art style, the way he shaded some of his pieces, and were generally jerks about something he loved. And of course, Adrian got defensive because art was something he was passionate about, so that almost turned into an argument that I had to diffuse before anyone started shouting. Damien hardly spoke at all, and only gave curt answers whenever Adrian tried to engage with him. Adrian tried to get his opinion on style in concerns to a period piece he was doing, but the way Damien responded was very cold and not at all what I expected from him. Adrian and Brian got into it over...something, but the way Brian was bragging was downright mean, and condescending in tone. Craig hadn't spoken up much either, but he had this very scary look on his face that made Adrian scared to look his way. Not even having River strapped to his chest made him look any less  scary. Adrian refused to look up after that, only glancing at me from the corner of his eye to talk to me. It was obvious that he didn't want to be here any longer and it looked really bad that I wanted him to meet my friends but they were rude.

If I did something to them and they were mad, then I'd rather they tell me so we can talk about it. But taking it out on Adrian? Not cool. I wouldn't have even invited him over if I had known that the were in such a pissy mood. I would've waited until we talked and they were in better moods before I brought him over. 

"Adrian, help me get the other tray of cookies please?" It was the only thing that would get him away from all this negativity and maybe give him some breathing room.

He couldn't get out of his seat fast enough. "Sure."

* * *

As soon as I close the door to the backyard, Adrian let out a sigh. "No offense, but your friends are kinda mean."

I don't know what came over them. "I'm really sorry about them. Normally, they aren't like that, but for some reason they've just been in a bad mood. I've been trying to talk it out with them, but they've been ignoring me." I tried texting them and getting them alone individually to talk, but every time I did, the subject would change or my words would go right over their heads. Every time I asked if I did something wrong, they were adamant that I hadn't, but it didn't explain the hostility. Nor did it explain the cold shoulder they've been giving me the past few nights and the lack of cuddling. That's right; I've gone too long without cuddles and it's been taking a toll on me. I'm dying. "Usually, they're very friendly but..." Something happened that they refuse to tell me about and I think it's my fault.

"Maybe I should just go. I mean, it's clear that I'm not wanted here. And while I'm loving all the cookies because cravings, it'll probably be better if I just go. Besides, my husband has to feed and wash Selena, so that's a train wreck waiting to happen." He tries to laugh, but it sounds forced. I can see it in his eyes, he's really hurt by what they did. And I don't blame him. 

"I'm really sorry Adrian. Maybe once I figure out what's wrong, we can try again." And I'm going to make them apologize to him once I do. "Let me make something for you to take home." I don't want the rest of the cookies I made to go to waste and I'm not letting the Alphas have them after their behavior. Adrian barely ate the entire time he was here; it was only right that he should have them.

"You don't have to-"

"It's fine," I interrupt. "Go ahead and take them. I made brownies with my daughter yesterday and I don't think I should have all of this in the house." I feel bad that he's leaving so soon. I thought we could have a nice afternoon together, but that was down the drain. "Don't worry about it."

Adrian seems worried at first, but he take the container with a small, genuine smile. "Thanks. I'll catch up with you later. I gotta go save my husband from getting bit." Adrian grabs his bag and the cookies and heads out. I wish he could've stayed longer but I wouldn't want to stay around people who've been rude to me. I feel terrible.

And also pissed.

I try to keep my composure together before I confront the Alphas, but I don't think it works since the first thing Craig says to me as soon as he sees me is: "You look mad."

"You're damn right I'm mad! What was that?" I don't even give any one of them time to answer before I'm ranting. "You guys were really hostile towards Adrian, and he didn't even do anything! He's my friend, and you were acting like he was some kind of bad guy. I get that you guys have been protective, but towards a pregnant guy? Really? That's really messed up." Someone starts to talk, but I keep going. "If I did something wrong, then fine. But to take it out on a friend? That's not cool. He's probably terrified to come over here again, and I don't blame him. How could you act like that? I mean, ugh." I place my hands over my eyes and take a deep breath. I have to remember that too much stress or anger isn't good for the baby. "You know what? I need to be alone. Can you guys just leave?"

I don't uncover my eyes. I hear them making protests and pleading to stay, but I don't say anything and keep my eyes closed. It takes some time before they get the hint and get up to leave, though I still hear protests from them. Only when I'm sure that they've left do I sink into one of the lawn chairs and let all the tension from my shoulders finally leave. 

* * *

"Pops..." Amanda cautiously slides onto the couch beside me and eyes the tray I'm holding. "Uh...how many brownies did you eat?"

"...ten." Eleven with the one I'm currently shoving in my face. I think. I haven't counted, but ten sounds like a fair number. I've actually been cutting them as I go along, so I don't exactly know the number. So let's just go with ten. I've been doing this for about two hours now, but I've been cutting them relatively small.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and take the tray," Amanda tries to take it out of my hands, but I yank it back. "Or not. You're stress eating, which is kinda bad. Wanna tell me what happened?"

"...okay. I thought inviting Adrian over to meet the Alphas would be a good idea, but it was horrible. Adrian wanted to leave as soon as he got here. It was a disaster. All he did was smile and everything went wrong. He couldn't leave quick enough. So I got mad and ranted a little and told them to get out, so now I'm eating brownies until I feel better or figure out what's wrong." And I'm no closer to figuring out where it all went wrong.

"I don't think stuffing yourself with brownies will make you feel better-"

"It's kinda working." All the chocolate is making me feel better.

"-because you'll only make yourself sick. What you need to do is stop thinking about it so generally. Go day by day and try to pinpoint where things went south. Think over  _everything._ "

She's right. Maybe I'm missing something. Something important that I overlooked. The first and foremost that stuck out was not mentioning  _where_ I've been going, just that I've been going out. But would they really get that mad over it? The second thing was Adrian, and the fact that I only mentioned him  _after_ we'd hung out a couple of times. Maybe I should've mentioned him earlier.

It takes another hour before Amanda wrestles the brownies away from me and makes me do something else. I'm reduced to watching TV and surfing the internet on my phone. Mainly it's more dogs, but it's calmed me down significantly looking at cute puppies. I gave up on trying to figure out what was up; I'm not thinking clearly, I'm fueled on brownies, and I'm starting to get tired. I need a break from stressing over it right now.

Suddenly, Adrian sends me two texts in rapid succession.

**Danny! Danny, omg look at this!**

Attached is a picture of another snake, though the yellow and white pattern and dark eyes tells me that it's not Selena, who was solid white and had blue eyes. I guess he went out and bought another snake? Oh, his husband is not gonna be happy about that. If he couldn't handle Selena, how would he handle having two snakes? This just screamed troublesome. His husband was probably freaking out.

_i thought you were only getting one snake. what happened?_

**_i was perfectly happy with Selena! but then your guys came by and apologized to me, and they bought the snake as a present!_ **

My guys? Did he mean the Alphas?

_huh?_

**_y'know. the guys? the ones all head over heels for you and stuff? those guys._ **

_you're gonna have to explain. im very confused_

**_alright so apparently, they all thought I was interested in you or trying to date you, which is why we were hanging out so much. bc of that, they thought i was gonna steal you away or some shit. and they didn't want to lose you, so they got a bit hostile with me to try and scare me off, not realizing i was already taken. they also thought we were sexting? im still lost on that one, but TL;DR they thought we might be a thing and got crazy jealous_ **

_seriously?_

**_yeah man. but i just laughed it off._ **

Everything suddenly makes sense now. I'm an idiot.

_im sorry_

_**what are you apologizing for?**  
_

_now i realize why they were acting so strange. i mentioned that i was hanging out with a guy, but i never specified that you were married or anything. i just kinda said that we were hanging together_

**_yeah but jumping to conclusions isn't cool either_ **

I know he's right, but I can't help but feel like an stupid. I really  _had_ done something wrong. Now that I think back over it, I never specifically said that Adrian was just a friend or that he was pregnant. And the sexting thing also made sense because I mentioned getting pictures of Adrian's "snake" and the fact that he was excited. The wording on that one didn't seem all that vague, but out of context it would be suspicious. Ugh, and then I went and yelled at them without letting them explain.

_Can you guys come back over? I think we need to have a talk._

_An actual talk, and not just me yelling._

It doesn't even take five minutes before they've crowded my living room and start spewing apologies. It's sweet, but I wish they would give me a little room to talk; I'm at fault here too. I know they're sorry and I know they're trying to keep me happy, but I can't deny that I've done something wrong.

"Okay, guys? You've grovelled enough. Seriously." I hold up my hands before they start talking too much. "Wait! I need to apologize too. I'm sorry I didn't mention Adrian before, and that I didn't specify that he was just a friend. It just kinda slipped my mind." And I usually tell them everything just so they don't worry. "I shouldn't have yelled either. I was just really upset you guys acted like jerks towards Adrian when he hadn't even done anything."

"We got..." Craig starts, but he doesn't want to finish. None of them seem like they do.

"Jealous?" Crazy jealous was how Adrian described it, which was kinda fitting. But I'll keep that little tidbit to myself.

"It  _was_  mean of us to act like that towards Adrian," Mat says sheepishly.

"And we should've asked you first instead of just assuming he was really close to you," Brian adds.

"He did tell me you guys apologized. And you bought him another snake?" He was still sending me messages, I just wasn't answering them at the moment because I knew they were pictures of his new friend. He'll be talking about this for the next month, watch.

"We felt terrible about how we behaved," Damien explains. "We felt it fitting to get him an apology gift and make sure he understood that we meant no harm."

"I know. He texted me and explained everything. Something about...crazy jealous?" Okay, I couldn't help but tease them. They all flush a deep red at being caught. "I'm teasing. In all seriousness, there's no need for you to get jealous. I have the sweetest Alphas who always come back to me and take care of me. What else would I need?"

 _That_ gets them all red again and it's adorable. I'm glad this whole thing cleared up and that everyone is happy again. No more confusion, misunderstandings, or jealousy. We're all okay. Something is missing though...

"I can't take it anymore. You left me hanging for too long damn it. Come here and cuddle me."

They laugh, but they comply and join me on the couch. As all my Alphas surround me and we watch the cheesiest game show ever, it feels like everything is right in the world again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEFORE ANYONE HITS ON ME ABOUT IT:  
> Danny's whole ignorance to not mentioning Adrian as just as friend was based on when I've had moments of pure ignorance where there has been miscommunication and I felt like I did something wrong when in reality, I forgot to mention a detail that was like, super important. And I think we've all done it before. That's exactly what Danny did. 
> 
> Adrian wasn't and isn't supposed be a bad guy, and he will be appearing in chapters from now on (not all the time though). In fact, his purpose to mimic my real-life best friend, but like, everything he did was the shit we did and argued about. Even the Hawaiian pizza thing. And yes, we often argue stuff like whether or not oregano is a salad (which it isn't fite me). His purpose was also to move along the whole 'polyamory' thing since I want to start developing that a little more. Basically, all the Alphas "claimed" Danny in a sense, just not in a literal sense. When Adrian was mentioned without any context, the Alphas reacted in a hostile manner to try and scare away a potential challenge, seeing as though Danny isn't officially claimed by anyone. And while OmegaxOmega relationships aren't common and they should've known that Adrian was an Omega, Adrian was still a threat to them and therefore, they had to get rid of him. 
> 
> With that housekeeping out of the way, the plan is to get more fluffy, romance stuff out the way and bring Robert back.
> 
> ...
> 
> Oh yeah Robert's coming back soon. I know there are people happy about that because there were a lot of you asking about him. 
> 
> Next chapter: graduations!


	9. Graduations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ernest and Amanda are all graduating. It's a bit hectic running around to get them all ready and do all of the preparations for their separate parties, but for them, it's worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a surprise at the end!

"I think it needs more glitter."

"And I think we've used enough glitter. We might blind someone if the sun hits these just right."

"But we don't  _just_ want to blind people. We gotta dazzle them! More glitter!"

"Amanda, they'll be too heavy to hold up if we add more glitter. It's kind already sagging as it is."

"Why can't we just get a bigger poster board?"

"Shh Hazel. Don't give her ideas."

Amanda's graduating in two weeks. I feel like crying every time I think of it because it means she's even closer to going to college and leaving me. I know she has to leave and experience being on her own and having the college experience and everything, but I really don't want her to leave. I guess everyone feel this way when their eldest goes off the college, and maybe I'm just feeling pregnancy hormones so I'm overly emotional, but I can't bear the thought of her leaving. Her school is so far away and I know she'll have fun and I know this is her dream, but she's always going to be my panda and I'm not sure I can handle parting from her.

I have enough on my plate to distract myself, it's just...going to be a real adjustment with her gone.

"Okay, no more glitter, but how about little jewels everywhere. I've got some superglue somewhere. We could stick on a bunch of ornaments and really make a good sign."

Right now, I'm in the living room with the twins and River, Amanda, Carmensita and Daisy. Ernest's graduation is on Friday and we're making a bunch of signs to hold up for him when his name gets called. We're also making some for Amanda, we do those in private, when she isn't here. I already have a bunch of things to do for her before that day comes, and the posters are gonna wait until she leaves the house so that I can do those, and the rest of my planning. For now, we're going to do it up big for Ernest since he also managed to get passing grades and go onto 9th grade. The only thing holding us up is Amanda and Hazel's insist that the first one, the one with his picture on it, needs to be as eye-catching as possible with as much glitter as possible. Daisy, Briar and I think it's fine the way it is, especially considering he might not even like all the glitter in the first place. The top is already sagging a bit from the weight of the glitter already coating it and it is a poster for a boy. The one we're making for Amanda is already more glitter than poster, this one will be fine without all that on it. 

"This _is_ a poster for Ernest. I don't think he'll like all the glitter." Briar grabs hold of the side of the poster and slides it towards her, away from her sister who was eager to decorate with more glitter.

"Hey, River didn't vote!" Amanda points to where River is sitting in my lap. I dipped her hand in some paint and let her slap it down on white paper to keep her occupied. She's having fun smearing paint all over the paper and sticking her hands in the little cups of pain I have down for her. Of course, I have to keep stopping her from trying to eat it, but she's made a beautiful mess so far.

"I don't think River can vote. She can't talk yet."

"Daisy's got a point. Plus, I think River just wants to paint." And use markers, but she abandoned those when she saw how much messier paint was. Either way, she's not paying much attention to us so she can focus on her artwork. Which has gotten all over her feet but we'll give her a bath later "Besides, we haven't even started the second one, and this one won't have his picture on it. You can make that one as extravagant as you want. Within reason." 

That seems to placate all of them, and work on the poster resumes. We don't think Ernest wants anything flashy so we have to be smart about this. Subtle. Save for the first one, but Amanda and Hazel took creative liberties with it and we couldn't stop them.

It's a time consuming process but we're being very particular and also want it to look good. After all, graduation is a special occasion whether he wants to acknowledge it or not. And, Hugo told me that Ernest's other father didn't exactly acknowledge it when Ernest graduated elementary school. Sure, it was might not have been a big deal, but it might've been to Ernest. Yet his other dad came late, didn't bring a gift, and kinda gave Ernest a pat on the head. His logic? 'He's going to do it two more times, and he won't even remember this one.'

Yeah. My Dad Senses went into Overdrive.

So now we're going to show support for Ernest, to show him that we appreciate him graduating, regardless of how many times he might do it. Amanda and I even have a gift picked out for him, though I really hope he likes it. We spent like, three hours searching for it and I'm still nervous about what is reaction is going to be. 

"There. That should be good until tomorrow." We did it up in orange and blue, two colors I think he likes best. I don't exactly know since I haven't spent as much time with Ernest as I have the other kids. The girls are easy because they come over every day after they finish their homework, and I usually chat with Lucien on the weekends while we're doing yoga. I feel kinda bad that I don't really have an activity to do with Ernest. After I got him to talk to Hugo, he's been a little less distant, but I haven't bonded with him like I want to. Maybe I'll find something over the summer we can do together.

Amanda looks it over with a critical eye. "I do think we should use more glitter, but I guess it'll do."

I don't trust that look in her eye. "Amanda, don't you add more glitter tonight while I'm asleep. I'll know."

"What? Pops, that's crazy. I'd never do that."

"Amanda."

"Alright, fine. No extra glitter."

The timer in the kitchen goes off, reminding me that we have cookies. "Okay girls, cookies are done. Let's clean up and maybe have a cookie or two before dinner. I won't tell if you don't."

"Okay!" Which means they won't tell even if their lives depend on it.

I know, I know. I'm spoiling them a little, but I can't help it. There's a huge absences of sweets in this house that needs to be rectified. Also, the girls usually pull the eyes on me, and while I thought I was immune to it, I have to face five pairs of eyes doing it, so you try to resist that. It's not easy. 

Clean-up is as swift and easy with all the girls chipping in. Amanda takes River to go get washed up of all the paint, Briar and Hazel hide the posters behind the couch, and Daisy and Carmensita sweep up little bits of paper from the floor. I'll vacuum while the girls are eating cookies to get the spilled glitter off the floor. The cookies are nice and cool by the time everyone is finished, so we can sit down and enjoy a couple before we order the pizza. I'm sure we'll be hungry again by the time it gets here.

Baby Sharp flutters happily in my stomach, something that's been happening a lot lately. They're not kicking per say, but they are moving around a little. They're also growing very big; I might be in the middle of my third month, but I look like I'm at least five months in. I know the body gets bigger after the first pregnancy, but I didn't think I'd be this big. Amanda likes to joke that it's all the result of all the sweets I've been eating finally showing up, but I'm unnaturally big right now. And I'm not a very big man to begin with, so it's getting increasingly obvious that I'm either gaining weight or pregnant. Damn, if Mary saw me, she'd probably have a lot of questions.

Mary...

I almost walked right across the street and told her everything, but something held me back. It would've been so easy to tell her the truth, and if she saw me she'd probably be curious, but I'm  _still_ holding onto the hope that Joseph is going to tell her. I'm a fool for thinking that and I know he isn't going to, but that's his  _wife_. If she sees me after I give birth with a blonde haired baby, she'll know something is up. All of his kids (and probably even the fourth one I've yet to see) have blonde hair and blue eyes like he does; if this one turns out the same way, everyone is gonna know what happened. Mary deserves to know the truth before I go into labor and every day that goes by is a day closer to when I'll say "fuck it" and just go tell her myself. Not telling her is hurting both of us more than anything.

In fact...I didn't give Joseph a deadline, but he's getting one.

_You have a month to tell Mary the truth. If you don't, I will._

There. That  _should_ get him moving. Because I'm serious. If a month from today Mary doesn't storm over with questions, I'm telling her the truth. I don't care how complicated or difficult he claims his situation is; Mary's gonna know the truth.

* * *

Friday is here and it's time for Ernest's graduation. The whole thing is going to be in the gym of the middle school. It's not decorated a whole bunch besides a banner and some balloons, but I guess budget cuts affected the graduation budget as well. The gym looks bland compared to what it could be; I mean, do schools really not know how to stretch a dollar? At least the chairs are kinda pretty. It's not much, but it is something for them. Parents fill the bleachers with friends and family members, some brandishing signs for their kids. Others chat among themselves while they wait for the ceremony to begin. We take our seats near the middle, where it's a pit packed but not overly so. 

Unfortunately, Hugo won't be able to sit with us since he is a teacher for middle and high school, so he'll have to give a speech or two and present some awards to the students. It sucks that he has to work and can't see his son graduate with us, but I guess he has the best spot in the gym to see it all so...silver lining? I know he wanted to watch instead of work, but he gets the best of both worlds this way. I don't think it's very fair, but there's nothing we can do about it.

We take our seats at the very top of the bleachers, near the podium so that we could see better and also so that Ernest would be able to see us when he walks up to get what he needed. It was also away from people which was good because the gym was slightly stuffy and too many people would just make it worse. Also we wouldn't have to interact with people or deal with the whole "we were holding those seats" deal. And we could take up as many rows as we wanted and no one could tell us that we can't do that. Amanda and Hazel are holding the poster they made, I have the second one, and the third glittery one is laying across a seat because it's still dripping glitter everywhere.

Soon enough, the chatter dies out as the graduates make their way to their seats as the March plays from the speakers. A couple of students do princess waves as they walk by, others staring straight ahead in an effort to just get this over with, while there are a few ducking their heads while parents cheer enthusiastically. I spot Ernest near the very end, likely due to his last name being near the end of the alphabet. He doesn't look too happy, as there was a dress code implemented for the boys and girls, so he was clad in a blue dress shirt, beige slacks rolled up a the bottom, and brown loafers. It also looked like Hugo styled his hair because he doesn't have the same bedhead style he normally wore it in. It wasn't his preferred choice of clothing or hairstyle, probably because it was too stiff and didn't look like him, but if he wanted to walk with his class, he had to dress up.

The vice principal gives opening remarks, the classic 'we're so proud of you, you've come so far, it takes a village' speech, then allows the principal to speak a few words. The principal also gives a classic speech and reflects on some hardships the school has had, some pranks and hijinks, how he hates that the budget cuts affected what they could and couldn't do, but mentions how they still get a great year. They then had it over to Hugo, who keeps his speech shorter than theirs, but still expressed how proud he was. He smiles and officially begins the graduation.

Not gonna lie, none of us knew any of those kids, so the whole ceremony dragged on and on. We were prepared enough for it though, and made sure to pack snacks for the wait and a couple of activities for the kids (quiet ones so that we're not disrespectful) so that no one gets bored. Amanda and Lucien get on their phones while myself and the other Dads chat among ourselves. I don't know how long we were waiting, but Briar registers that we just passed last names beginning with 'U', so Ernest was likely coming soon. Hazel moves to sit with Daisy so that Lucien and Amanda can hold up the biggest poster, which starts raining glitter the moment it's upright, while I hand the girls a poster so they all can hold it. I take the last one to hold and get ready.

"Ernest Vega."

We all jump up (I have to get assistance getting to my feet) and yell and clap as loud as we can. Amanda and Lucien wave their poster back and forth, the girls jump up and down while cheering, and I make sure to hold the poster as high in the air as I can.

I don't think Ernest was prepared to actually have people cheering for him because he looks up at our section and does a double-take at seeing us going crazy for him and our signs. For a moment, I think I see him smile...but then it disappears and he approaches Hugo for his diploma. Hugo acts very professional with Ernest, but you can see it in his eyes how proud he is. Their interaction is short, but I think Ernest is happy. When he goes to sit back down, he looks happier than he did when he walked in. Which makes me glad because I thought he'd hate it.

The rest of the ceremony is a little dull considering we don't know anyone else, but no one can deny the smile that Ernest has on his face.

* * *

After the ceremony is over, the majority of the students seek out their parents while others stand with friends and wait around. Hugo ends up finding us first, but Ernest makes his way over not too long after. I thought he'd be upset after what we did because he looked shocked, but he looks...calm. Happy even.

"That was embarrassing." He ducks his head down as a couple of his friends walk by and clap him on the shoulder. "That was so embarrassing."

Sure it was Ernest. But it made you smile.

"Never do that again."

See, I hear him. And yet, something tells me he doesn't really mean that.

"...thanks." There's a small smile on his face as he fiddles with the dress shirt he has on. And...is he blushing? Nah, it's the light in the gym.

"C'mon Ernesto, we had to do  _something._ " Amanda nudges him with her elbow but his smile fades. "It's your graduation. You survived middle school. How could we not celebrate?"

"Don't call me Ernesto. And it's just middle school. No biggie."

"It's still special." Even it it's just middle school, it's still a milestone. "You still accomplished something pretty great." He brought his grades up, which weren't that bad to begin with, and managed to stay out of trouble for the remainder of the semester. It'd be wrong if we didn't bother celebrating.

"Then it's onto high school where everything gets worse, four years seems like forty, and the lockers are big enough to stuff a body in," Lucien says with a smirk.

"But you'll have Lucien here to help you out, plus you can always video chat me when you need help. And send me your schedule so I can give you the scoop on certain teachers. Trust me, I've sat with most of them and I know how to make them love you."

Amanda and Lucien begin to tell Ernest all kinds of tips and tricks about high school and teachers they've had. Ernest looks between them, a bit overwhelmed, but he looks like he's taking it all in stride. Hugo stands next to me and smiles.

"Ernest might not say it, but he really did appreciate what you did. I don't remember seeing him smile like that."

"I'm a Dad. Every little accomplishment is a big deal. Besides, he looked miserable and now..." I gesture over to him, where he isn't criticizing the glitter poster as much as I thought he would. He's trying to run from Lucien and Amanda, who keeps shaking it over his head and getting glitter all over his clothes, but  he seems to actually like it, regardless of how much glitter was used. "It made him happy."

"I'm glad." To spare Ernest from having to clean glitter from everywhere, I take the poster from the two teens and hold it away from him. "Enough of that. It was enough trouble getting the glitter out of the carpet, he'll be scrubbing glitter out of his clothes for weeks. Besides, we're going to Lord of the Fries and his clothes look nice."

"Wait." Ernest stares at me like I'm crazy. "We're going to Lord of the Fries? It's still open?" 

Lord of the Fries is a burger joint Hugo used to take Ernest to when he was younger. The literature title attracted Hugo and Ernest liked the giant burgers they served and could be topped with just about anything. It had been a while since either one of them had gone since they both got busy and just couldn't find the time to go. Now we have an excuse to go, even if Hugo swears the burgers are too big for human consumption.

"Yep, and we're going for your graduation dinner, so no more messing up his clothes please." He already has a bit of a tint in his hair from all the glitter and he'll probably leave glitter everywhere he goes. I would not want him to spend the summer ridding his hair of glitter. "Oh, but present first." I hand him the box we wrapped up for him yesterday. I could've waited until later but I figured why not? I just  _really_ hope he likes it. "Your others are at home but I still wanted you to open one right now."

"It's from us," Amanda mentions. "You're gonna love it. I'm sure of it."

Ernest tears open the paper and his eyes go wide at the front. He's quick to tear off the top of the box and pull his present out. "This...these are GloFo Headphones. Everyone has been talking about these." It's a pair of orange and silver Bluetooth headphones that light up and flash to the beat of your music. We saw them and immediately thought Ernest would love them. We also got his name on the sides in blue, just for a personal touch. "How...?"

"Dad powers." Well, Daughter powers since Amanda suggested headphones in the first place, but we found them together. "Do you like them?" Please tell me he likes them. I don't know if the look on his face is good or bad. I hope it's good.

"This is...a really awesome gift. Thanks Pops."

"You're wel-did you just call me Pops?" Or was that my imagination getting to me. Or was he talking to Hugo? No, because Hugo hadn't given Ernest his gift yet. But...that would mean... "You called me Pops."

"What? No I didn't!"

Hugo tries and fails to hide his smile. "I think you did mijo."

Ernest growls, but it doesn't have any heat behind it. And he's  _still_ blushing. "Ugh, can we just go eat? I'm starving."

Sure you are Ernest. Sure you are.

* * *

It's finally that time. The first step on my journey to letting her go. I have to steel my nerves and just do it.

Amanda graduates today.

The graduation is being held on the football field of the school, with the students sitting in chairs in the middle of the field while the audience sits on either side of the bleachers. There are about twenty red chairs in the very front of the row of seats, while the other chairs are white. I thought we'd have to sit near the end of the bleachers, but Amanda actually ranked in the top 5 of her class, so we're going to sit near the right side, as close to the stage as we can. 

Amanda is inside the school somewhere with her classmates lining up, so we're navigating through the crowd to find enough seats for all of us. Hugo is, unfortunately, not going to be able to sit with as as he is giving a speech, presenting certain awards, and making some special announcements for the class. Ernest is going to be with us, but Hugo has to do his teacher thing again. Lucky for us though, since he volunteered to do the speech, he doesn't have to stay and help clean up, so he can come home and relax.

We choose to sit at the very front of the bleachers so that it isn't a strain on me and so that we can see Amanda easier. Also, it won't be too much of a hassle when we get up to go see Amanda once the ceremony is over. The front is empty, so we can all sit comfortably and not worry about not being able to sit together. All of our carefully crafted signs are laid out and we have snacks with us in case anyone (mainly me) gets hungry.

"What was your graduation like Danny?" Daisy asks curiously.

"High school?" Man, it was really lame. I mean, really lame. "There was a storm that day, so the teachers had to pull a last minute redecoration of the gym indoors so we could still have the ceremony. It was kinda ruined because everyone had already been soaked at that point, so no one was really happy about it. It got worse when some pranksters decided to set off the sprinkler system, so we got even more soaked." Mom was complaining the whole time and Dad was not happy. I thought it was kinda funny, but I got sick the next day, so it wasn't funny anymore.

Mat laughs. "That's better than mine. Some of the AV kids played a really racy video during our ceremony because they thought it would be hilarious. They didn't get their diplomas and not only had to clean the entire school after that stunt."

"We had fireworks at mine," Craig says. "Though, that went badly. Something about the way they were set up? I don't know, but there was a huge fire and everyone freaked out because it started spreading and we had to evacuate. We had to come back a month later to actually have the ceremony since we didn't get through it. The football field is never going to be the same."

Damien hums softly. "I believe my graduation was inside the school, but the power failed part-way through. There was no way to get it back on, but since the ceremony had been in progress already, the faculty decided to continue. There was enough light outside to allow people so see, but it wasn't pleasant for people. There were numerous injuries."

"I think I had the normal one then." Brian thinks for a minute and chuckles. "No storms or fireworks that made it bad. Everyone was cried and it was emotional, but nothing happened to make it special. I kinda wish there was some excitement; I don't exactly remember much of it."

I can't help but laugh. "Now, our college graduation-"

Craig snorts, which he tries to cover with a cough but he begins laughing. "Stop bringing that up-"

"It wasn't even  _our_ graduation, but Craig convinced an entire fraternity-"

"You didn't stop me!" Craig interrupts.

"-An  _enitre_ fraternity, he and I included, to paint that year on our chests, and streak through the whole ceremony. Luckily we were wearing masks so they couldn't identify who we were, but I'd never been so terrified of expulsion than I had in that moment." They almost got us when someone ran up to the stage to backflip off of it, and we didn't want to leave anyone behind so we stayed and watched. Then the dean came charging at us and we booked it. "So or dear Craig was helping me down from the bleachers and _dropped me_ because he wanted to save himself from getting caught."

"You fell and you know it."

"You dropped me! No, you let go of my hand and _dropped me_ and ran like someone burned you."

"You fell! You fell and you let go of my hand and I ran to get help!"

"Every time Craig tells this story, he tells it  _wrong_ because he  _dropped me_ and left me for dead." And I will never let him live it down. My life flashed before my eyes that day. I could've died. Or been expelled.

By now, everyone is red in the face from laughing so hard. That story is probably a classic from college, right next to when we kept that dog in our dorm. I am still surprised we pulled it off for so long.

A hush falls over the audience as the classic graduation music begins and teachers lead a line of students clad in red and white onto the field. The very front line, led by the principal himself, is the top 20 students with Amanda near the front. She looks around quickly to find us and waves when she sees us waving her down like mad men and women. They're led in a procession to the seats, where Amanda and a couple others sit in red chairs while the rest of the class sits in white chairs. The procession lasts for about three minutes, during which the class pranksters are identified because they make obnoxious gestures and walk funny. Teachers scold them, but they continue all the way up until their seats. When everyone has sat down, the principal gets up to make some sort of speech and introduces the valedictorian, who makes their own speech, and then lets Hugo take the stage. 

"As I look upon the sea of students, I feel nothing but pride and joy. All of you have faced your share of hard tasks, sadness and grief, yet at the end of it all, you completed this part of journey with great achievements and beautiful memories. Being tough with you at times does not mean that we hate your class or don't think you can do it, but to prepare you for a greater challenge ahead, and to nurture you to build a strong foundation for your next level. Under our guidance, you have attained this impressive milestone in your life with great honor and integrity."

Wow. His speech really touched me. I wish my principal had said something this moving. I'm getting chills.

"Today, I am honored to say, we are proud of your many achievements over the years, your various accomplishments in almost all curriculum and extra curriculum activities. Your brilliant achievements in academic discourse and in sports are indeed acknowledged. The memories you've made will forever remain in the heart of this school and in all of us."

A roar of applause meets Hugo as students stand and cheer for him. He lets the students go for a minute or so before he waves his hand for silence.

"Now, I'm honored to present diplomas to the top 20 students in the class. These students have made us extraordinarily proud with how far they've come."

The first four students get their face share of applause when they're called up, and they pull out their phones to take selfies with Hugo and the principal as they accept their diplomas. A buzz of energy goes through the crowd gathered for Amanda as we wait for Hugo to call her name. I can feel Baby Sharp fluttering around, as if they were just as excited for Amanda as I was. 

"Number 5 in the class, and recipient of the Women in the Arts Scholarship, Amanda Ann Sharp!"

 **"YAY AMANDA!"** Everyone holds up their signs we made and waves them around wildly. A good majority of the students cheer for her as well, but I think the whole stadium is surprised by just how loud we all got. The girls start jumping and cheering, Ernest and Lucien wave around signs, River starts screeching from all the noise, and the Dads and I scream about as loud as we can. Amanda soaks up all the cheering before she runs up to the platform and shakes hands with the principal, then Hugo. She gives him the finger guns, which he returns, and snaps a quick selfie with him before grabbing her diploma and getting back to her seat. A few of the kids next to her clap her on the shoulder and joke around with her before they settle down.

After that, the rest of the graduation proceeds as normally as it could, with no slip-ups or pranks from the students. At least, not yet. There's still the end. The only thing that surprises me is how many Emmas there are. I thought I mixed up the ones Amanda was friends with; I had no idea there were at least fifteen different Emmas in the class. Amanda claps politely for a few students, but she cheers for a couple others who I assume are her friends.

The principal makes some closing remarks, and congratulates the class. Hats are tossed into the air as the students cheer. An upbeat song plays as students toss off their hats and dance around while waving glow-sticks in the air. The principal makes a signal towards the other end of the field, and fireworks light up the sky in a variety of shapes and colors. One is even in the shape of...nevermind, it's highly inappropriate. I guess the senior class found a prank to pull after all.

* * *

It's a bit difficult to navigate the football field to find Amanda, but she texts me to just meet her by the entrance closer to the bathroom. Damien helps me down the bleacher stairs since I am much bigger than I was two weeks ago and can't maneuver like I used to. It's very crowded on the field with all the parents searching for their own kid, but Craig and Brian make sure nobody bumps into me. Mat goes to off to find Hugo while Lucien goes to find friends to hang out with for a while before we leave. 

Amanda is indeed by the bathrooms talking with one of her teachers. She happens to look our way and her face lights up, excusing herself from the conversation to run over to me and throw her arms around me.

"Congratulations Amanda!"

"Thanks Pops. Also, nice job on the signs. I think you blinded the principal."

"We did have to dazzle them," Daisy says with a smile. "We must've bought all the glitter from the crafts store."

"And more markers than one person really needs," Carmensita adds.

"There was a bit of a glue disaster, but we managed." We know better now. And never again will be wage such a harsh battle against glue ever again. We barely got out of there alive. But it was worth it because Amanda really likes her presents.

"Are you a bit sad that you have to leave your friends behind?" Mat asks.

Amanda shrugs. "Kinda, but I made peace with that a while ago. Plus I only really cared about ten people tops, maybe even less."

"Guess college is just a lot more exciting huh kiddo?"

"I mean, yeah. My high school friends weren't exactly the best, so leaving them behind doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I'm looking forward to meeting new friends who won't go behind my back and that I can trust them with like, my secrets and junk. Plus I'll be around people with similar interests instead of people who pretend to but then have no idea what I'm talking about. But at least I've got the memories, right?"

"That's real mature of you Amanda." My baby isn't a baby anymore. She's all grown up now.

"Thanks Pops. But, can we go? I see a bunch of those preppy girls that are overly emotional coming over here and I really don't want to get cornered. Plus, my feet are getting massacred in these shoes."

"Yeah, let's go get food. You go ahead and pick the place."

Amanda thinks for a moment then smiles. "Can I ask for something home-cooked?"

Do not cry Danny you are a stronger man than this! "Of course you can."

I solemnly swear, I'm not crying.

* * *

I think I have everything about ready for Amanda's party. Everyone is in the back waiting, her gift is wrapped, and she should be home any minute now. That sounds like her car in the driveway. Alright, gotta act natural. Not like I've worked for the past few hours setting up this huge party and that I might cry because after this, the countdown will begin for when she'll leave for college and WAIT SHE'S WALKING IN ACT NATURAL.

Amanda steps through the door and immediately looks suspicious. "Hey Dad."

So far, so good. She suspects nothing. I'm great at this.

"Hey Amanda. How was the mall?" Yes, just act casual. She'll never know.

"What's going on? You look...weird. What did you do?"

Rats. Maybe I'm not that good at this. But I can stall her! "What are you talking about?"

"You just...you have that look on your face."

Quick! Think of something. "Alright, the house was bugged this whole time. Your life of crime has caught up to you. The Feds are on their way here; I delayed them as much as I could, but even I'm no match for the power and funding of our Government."

"Well, if they think they're gonna take me alive, they've got another thing coming. I've got three fake passports, a solid fake ID, and I've planned a bunch of different ways to fake my own death. Don't worry Pops, even if they catch me, I won't spill."

I can't help but snort. "I'm kidding. Nothing's wrong, no Feds are coming after us. But I do have a surprise for you."

"I could tell. You aren't very good at hiding things from me."

"Well I hid this surprise from you adequately well." Shows what she knows. 

She gasps. "Is it a dog?!"

"No, not today. But I did get you something you'd like just as much as a dog. May I escort the lady to the kitchen?" I hold out my hand to her.

Amanda takes it and bows. "You may."

I lead Amanda to the kitchen table, making sure the blinds are closed and she can't look into the backyard. Her attention is drawn to where her present lies covered under a tablecloth. It would've been wrapped all fancy-like, but I didn't have time to get that done. Even with the help I had, I still barely managed to finish before she came home. 

"It's nothing special, but I wanted to get you a little something. You graduated high school last week, and even though you said not to make a big deal about it, I had to do something for you."

"Aw, Dad you-"

Before she finishes, I dramatically whip the cloth off the table. Amanda's jaw drops when she lays eyes on her gift.

"No way!"

"I figure you probably won't be able to get cable in the dorm, so I thought it might be nice to take a piece of home with you." No, I'm not crying. Not yet. I might, but I'm not crying right now.

"A DVD box set of Long Haul Paranormal Ice Road Ghost Truckers! This is all 19 seasons!"

"And bonus material, including commentary with actual ghosts featured on the show." I saw it and knew I had to get it for her. I was racking my brain trying to figure out what the best gift for her would be. She's not picky, but I wanted her gift to be personal. Something I knew she'd really enjoy. "You will not believe how many people I had to take down to get this for you. There was this really mean old lady who kept trying to run me over with her scooter and nearly beat me with her cane. There's a video on the internet somewhere about a pregnant man fighting an old lady. I'm the pregnant man. It's me. But I suffered an old lady fight for you." Yes, use humor to distract you from the tears.

"Dad...I love this. Thank you." She gives me a big hug, being mindful of my stomach. I feel her give a little shake, almost like she's about to cry. Oh no, if she starts crying, I'll start crying. Then we'll be a gross sobbing mess.

"You're welcome. C'mon. Let's go hang out in the backyard for a while. Draw some clouds and relax for a while."

"Awesome!"

Amanda excitedly heads out back, and I follow her at a slower pace, trying to hide a grin. Success!

"Wh-"

"SURPRISE!"

Everyone surrounds Amanda with huge smiles party poppers. I managed to get in touch with some of her friends (the ones she specifically said she'd miss) and invite them along, as well as all the Dads and their kids. I wanted it to be special because she deserved it. It took me a while to get all the food and decorations set up, and I had to make a lot of calls to get this all together.

"I know you said not to make a big deal out of this, but you seem to have forgotten that as your father, it is my personal mission to make the biggest deal out of all of our accomplishments and do something totally over the top despite your protests. And I know you already went to a few, but consider this your graduation party. Surprise!" I hid a party popper in my pocket for this exact moment, and Amanda laughs when little bits of paper land in her hair.

"How did you do all this without me knowing? Everyone's here!"

"It took a lot of planning and a lot of sneaking around, but I managed to use my Dad powers to put this together. And of course everyone is here. They all wanted to come and support you."

Amanda looks around the party, all the gifts and decorations, and her eyes land on the food. "Is that...a mac and cheese...bar?"

"Sure is. Fully customization, down to the type of mac. I know how much you love macaroni and when I found out about this, I had to get it for you. We've also got ice cream cake, the kind with the crunchies inside." I didn't make the cake under strict orders from my alphas that I was doing enough and that we could order it. I did make cupcakes though, without the crunchies because of time. 

Tears start welling in her eyes. "I...I don't know what to say."

No crying. I'm bound to start crying if she starts crying. Or even if she doesn't. I'm just liable to cry. "You don't have to say anything. Just go have fun with your pals, alright?" She looks like she might cry again, so I pull her into another hug so that I don't cry. "I'm so proud of you Amanda."

She gives me a quick squeeze and runs off to her friends, calling a 'thanks pops' over her shoulder.

I know I don't have to play host, but I should make sure that everyone is having a good time. After mac and cheese of course, because I was looking forward to that more than anything. Oof, even Baby Sharp really wants that Mac. Alright, let's go. 

* * *

The sun is setting and the party begins to wind down. Everyone seems to have eaten their fill and it's about time to start cleaning up. But, that can wait just a little bit. I had too much mac and cheese earlier, and coupled with all the slices of ice cream cake I had, I do not want to move right now. The tree provides enough shade from the slowly diminishing rays of sunlight and I'm in the perfect spot to see everything. 

Amanda wanders over and sits down beside me. "Killer party Pops."

"What can I say? I got inspired." I know she went to a bunch of other graduation parties, but I wanted to throw her a special one, one specifically for her.

Amanda grins. "So I uh...I actually have a little gift for you."

She does? "For me? Why?"

"Not to be completely genuine about my feelings for once or anything but...growing up wasn't easy, especially with everything we had going on, but it could've been a lot harder if it wasn't for you. Dad, you've been there for me through everything. You helped me come to terms with who I am and helped me realize who I want to be. And there's...there's been times in my life when you were my only friend. I was really scared of going to college and being so far away from you, and to be honest, I still am. But I realized that...everything you've done for me has been to prepare me for this. I wouldn't be who I am today without you."

Oh no. No no no. Do  _not_ cry. Do  _not_ cry. I have been holding back tears for this long, I can keep them in for longer. I'm not crying! "Amanda..."

"And I know Baby Sharp is going to feel the same way. You're the best Dad. I love you."

Aaaand, there's the tears. I'm crying. "I love you too Amanda." She's successfully made her old man cry.

Is she crying as well? Or can I not see through my own tears and I'm imagining things? No, I think that's a tear in her eye.

"Alright, that was enough emotional vulnerability for one day. Present time!" She drops a wrapped package in my lap, looking very fancily wrapped and much better than mine did. Tearing off all the wrapping papers revels...scrapbooks.

"Amanda-"

"Open them up!" She urges.

The very first page is a picture I hadn't seen in years. It's the day Amanda was born, where I got to hold her for the first time. Alex had taken the picture, and even though I looked a mess, I was still smiling as I looked down at her. Flipping through the book reveals a bunch of other pictures from over the years, which includes pictures she took very recently. There are a couple of blank pages where I can add a bunch of other pictures as I get further and further along.

"It's...us...how did you even find all of these?"

"I have my ways. Daughter powers and all." She shrugs. "Kinda shocking that all our photo albums are just pictures of me, huh? I figured we needed at least one together before I leave. I also classed it up a little."

I noticed she wrote in the margins of the page with stuff she remembered from her childhood. She also doodled a couple of small pictures next to the photos, silly things that reminded me of good times. "Honey, I don't know what to say..."

"Don't say anything until you look through the other one!" She switches out the book on my lap with another one.

This one that is pure white and has a plain white card that says 'Baby Sharp'. I flip through the pages, which aren't filled with much, but it's still sweet. The very first picture is the photo from my first ultrasound, with the caption 'Introducing Baby Sharp!' underneath. The next is a picture Amanda snuck and took when I was examining my belly from when I was 10 weeks in with the caption 'They're growing so big!'. And the rest of the pages are filled with pictures she took while my guard was down, most of which were observations on my belly with small pregnancy facts and her own personal notes. The book isn't complete, but I know that's Amanda's way of saying that's there will be more to come.

And the tears are coming even faster now. "Amanda, this is amazing. I...thank you. Watching you grow up has been the happiest experience of my life. You're such a talented, intelligent, and caring young woman and I'm so excited to see what the future holds for you. You're going to be a great big sister and I know that whatever you strive to do, you'll accomplish it. Knock 'em dead, kid."

"Always do."

She pulls me in for another hug, one hand gently on my stomach. "This is only the beginning Pops," she murmurs. "We've got plenty more memories to make down the line."

"Memories to make and stuff to break, eh kiddo?"

"Oh, I am gonna break so much stuff. And I'm gonna teach Baby Sharp about the best things to break. Intentionally and unintentionally. You're probably gonna have to pay for most of it."

"It would be my honor." I feel another flutter from Baby Sharp, confirming that yes, they will break stuff along with Amanda. And yes, I will be the one paying for it. But in all honesty, I'm excited to see what our future holds.

"I'm glad you aren't alone anymore," Amanda says as we watch the sun dip. "These people really care about you."

"It's...I'm still coming to terms with it all." It's still foreign to me that so many people care so much for me. That so many people want to be there for this baby. "It's gonna be hard, but this is the next chapter in your story. And I would be nervous about it, but I know that you're always gonna be looking out for me the same way I'll always look out for you." 

"Well anyways, I think I took up enough of your time and I'm not used to this many emotions in such a short time. You have some anxious Alphas waiting to check on you and I have some ice cream to get." She stands up and picks up all the wrapping paper. "Seriously Dad, this party was the greatest."

"Thanks Amanda. Go have fun." I give her a wave as she runs off to catch up with her friends. I'm so proud of her. She managed to pull all of her grades up in just a few months, made top 5 in her school, and now she's on her way to college. Yes, I'm still crying, but they're happy tears this time around. I'm sad that she'll be leaving soon, but I'm happy knowing that she's going on to do great things in life. 

"Danny, why are you crying?" Mat gently lifts my glasses and wipes my tears away. Man, and I thought I'd finished crying. And I hadn't heard anyone approach me either.

"Sorry I...I'm not upset I-I'm just happy." I've actually been really emotional ever since Ernest called me 'Pops'. Add that to Amanda graduating, accomplishing so much and getting me that gift and you get me in a huge mess of feelings. "Amanda she...she's all grown up and I'm so proud of her." I have to take my glasses off to wipe the fresh tears from my face. "I know I have to let her go, and I know she's destined for greatness it's just...overwhelming." Words can't describe how I feel right now. And I can't chalk this up to hormones because I know the pregnancy isn't fully to blame here. I got to watch my baby grow into the woman she is now.

"She's a good kid," Hugo says. "Definitely one of the ones to change the world for the better. You have every right to be proud."

"I am. I'm just...I'll be alright." Baby Sharp flutters once again, and I put my hand over the spot I feel it the most. I'll be fine Baby Sharp, I promise. "Everything just seems like it's happening so fast. She's off to college in a few months and I..." I'm going to miss her. "I'll be okay." It's going to be an adjustment not having my daughter around, because it's always been the two of us. We never really needed anyone else because I was always looking out for her, and regardless of how old she was, she kept me in check. She grounded me when things became too uncontrollable. She was the thing that helped things make sense in the world when I couldn't find anything right in it. Maybe we relied on each other too much, but we really didn't have anyone else. Because Amanda's my only family. I couldn't really count on anyone else. I was basically abandoned once I left for college, ridiculed for pursuing my major, insulted for marrying Alex simply because he was a Beta, then called a coward for wanting to leave the toxic I was getting hit with every day. After Alex died, Amanda was my everything when I thought I had nothing. I know she'll still be there for me but after everything we've been through, it's just hard to think that'll be different.

But she's right. I prepared her for this, and I won't be alone anymore. I have my Alphas, and I have Baby Sharp. And even when she's at college, I know I'll still have Amanda. And she knows she still has me.

"Do you need a cuddle?"

I always need a cuddle. "Yes please."

We make sure to clean everything up, which includes me eating the rest of the ice cream cake and some macaroni because cravings, but leave most of the decorations up because why not? It's festive, cute, and the backyard looks really nice this way.

The kids have already begun watching an animated movie, but that's alright. I forgo a blanket as Hugo settles on one side of me, Brian on the other. Mat sits between my legs while Damien and Craig lean against them. Baby Sharp flutters in my stomach, very energetic after I ate all that cake, and a comforting presence to have.

I know in my heart that Amanda and I are going to be just fine. She graduated top of her class and she has the passion to achieve her dreams. And while she's away, I'm going to be able to make mine a reality. Baby Sharp is going to be fine, and have an amazing sister to look up to.

We'll be okay.  

* * *

Today is going to be a rather relaxed day. I know I have to check the garden later and do laundry, but none of those things have priority right now. Though, I should check the mail. Amanda hinted that there may or may not be something there for me in regards to Baby Sharp. She wouldn't tell me anything more about it, only that I'd like it and the baby would like it. I'm pretty sure it's a bunch of baby stuff, maybe a couple of toys she was eyeing. I don't know, but it sounds like it's gonna be something big.  

Oh! It's another letter from Robert! Though, this one feels a little too light to be one of his normal letters. In fact, I don't think there's a letter in here at all. Curiosity gets the better of me and I tear open the envelope then and there. I hope his letter didn't get lost somehow, or he forgot to send it. I really wanted to know what he was up to.

As I suspected, there wasn't a letter at all, but a yellow gift card with a small note attached to it. The gift card is to some place called Sweet Tooth, which I've never in my life heard of. And stuck to it is a small note.

_Dear Danny,_

_I have a surprise for you._

_Turn around._

Turn around? Wha- 

"Robert!"

Robert smirks at me. "Miss me kid?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No joke, at my high school graduation, I had an entire crowd gathered for me, and when my name was called, my family and friends cheered like crazy, and you hear my brother screaming at the top of his lungs and cheering and shouting 'THAT'S MY BABY SISTER!'. It was a great day. Except, I didn't actually cry because when I thought about it, I hated my high school and 90% of the people there, so internally I was like "MAN FUCK THIS PLACE I'M OUT, I'M LEAVING THE STATE, FUCK YOU GUYS". And then I peaced out and danced off the football field.
> 
>  
> 
> Also, yay the return of Robert! I was planning that.


	10. The Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is Robert really back? Or am I just dreaming? Did he actually come back?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everybody's favorite Bad Dad has returned!  
> what?...no, not Joseph. Not "don't trust that smile" bad Dad, "I'm bad for you' Bad Dad.
> 
> It's Robert. Robert's back. Hooray!

"Robert!" I throw my arms around him and held tight. Just to confirm that this wasn't a dream, to confirm that he was actually real and standing in front of me. I've wanted him back for so long but the fact that he's actually here just seems like I'm imagining things. But no, I can feel his arms around me and while he doesn't smell like whiskey, it smells like  _him_  and I don't know what other confirmation I need to know that he's here.

Robert gently places his arms around me and chuckles. "Didn't think you missed me that much. Can't say I don't enjoy the little welcome though."

I can't believe it. He really came back. "You, that means you found everything you needed to."

Robert looks away for a moment, then looks back at me. "I found...some of what I needed to. But I needed to come back for a while and...relax." He relizes we've been hugging for a little too long and lets me go. I (a little regrettably) do the same. "Take a ride with me." He taps the gift card in my hand. "Figure I can let you in on my little secret."

"Sure. Just, let me change clothes first. I'm not exactly dressed to go out." An extremely over-sized t-shirt and sweatpants were ideal for lazy days, but not for going to candy stores. I almost didn't wear pants today either.

Robert nods and leans against his truck. I quickly rush into the house and toss the mail onto the table, not wanting to keep Robert waiting for long. There was no much I want to ask him and talk about, but I don't know whether or not this is temporary or permanent. I have a lot I want to talk to him about and this may be the time to do it.

I throw on a comfortable pair of black jeans and a white t-shirt that fits moderately better but still hides my stomach like the last one did. I feel a bit more comfortable this way and I don't look as sloppy as I did before.

"Whoa Dad. Where are you going all dressed fancy?" Amanda eyes my choice of clothing and nods. "A meeting or something?"

"No sweetie. Robert's back and he wants to talk. I figured we could go out for a while and catch up."

Amanda grins, smug. "I told you he'd come around."

"I know you did I'm just...I'm happy he's back. I'm a little in disbelief but he looks good."

"Well don't keep him waiting!" She waves me out of the house. "Go! Have fun! Talk about things."

"What about you?" I don't like dropping things and just leaving her. 

"Pops, c'mon. I've got enough stuff to do. Shows to binge and stuff. Don't worry about me. Just, go and hear what he needs to say. The fact that he came to your first must mean something."

She is right. Robert said he wanted to change for people like Damien and I. The people he cared about, who cared about him even though he was a mess. And I doubt anyone else knows; maybe he told Damien not to tell me or maybe he just didn't want anyone to know. Either way, we need to talk.

"I don't know when I'll be back Amanda, but please, no crimes before college. For me."

"Ooh, then you are not gonna be happy about the body count."

"Just make sure you dispose of them before I get back. We'll never get the smell out the house if it sits too long."

Amanda gives me a salute, then pushes me to the door. "The man's been waiting! Go!"

"Alright!" I hastily leave at Amanda's insistence, double-checking to make sure  have everything before I join Robert at the truck. "Sorry. Had to make sure everything was settled with my daughter."

Robert nods. "How's she doing?"

"Great. She just graduated actually, got a scholarship, and she's on her way to college." And I'm probably going to stay proud of her for months to come.

"Impressive." He unlocks the truck and gestures for me to get in. "C'mon. We got about an hour drive before we get there."

I jump into the passenger seat of his pickup, taking note of all the dogs toys scattered around and the rubber water bowl on the floor. So...that means-

"YIP!"

Betsy jumps into my lap from the back, immediately placing her paws on my chest and eagerly licking my face. Her tail is wagging nonstop and she leaves no part of my face unlicked. She must've missed me!

"Hello to you too Besty!"

She yips again and gets on all fours, scrabbling around my lap to steady herself before laying down and curling up. She's still panting, but being in the car does not give her a lot of freedom.

"Ol Betsy's been cooped up in here with me for a couple months. She's probably tired of me by now."

As if in agreement, Betsy huffs and wiggles closer to my stomach. And well...I can't  _not_ pet her.

Robert makes sure that Besty and I are content before pulling out of my driveway and heading out the cul-de-sac. He does so slowly, taking a moment to look around and see if anything's changed before he speeds up and we head out.

Neither one of us says anything. I don't speak out of respect because I don't want to push him into telling me, and him because he just seems like he's that kind of guy. I have so many questions I need to ask, but I don't want to after last time. He managed to come back to me after that time away, I'm gonna let him speak first. Besides, the silence doesn't feel awkward in the slightest; it feels nice to just be around him again. We parted on neutral terms but I meant it when I said I wasn't going to push. He asked for time, and I'll keep giving him time until he lets me in.

"You're probably wondering where I've been."

Okay, the time for talk is now.

"I decided to track down the source of my problems and well...I ended up going back to my hometown. Good ol' Brooklyn."

Wait, Brooklyn? Robert's from New York? I thought he'd be from like, Vegas or something down South. But New York? That's a shock

"Surprised? Never struck you as a big city boy?"

Was it really that obvious? "I mean, kinda. You strike me as more of a small town boy or a biker dude. I don't know why. Sorry."

"Most people think so. It's probably the tattoo and the leather. Gives a guy a bad reputation around here. But yeah, I'm a city boy." He laughs a little, shaking his head. "Probably took me as a Sin City guy."

Why can he read me like a book? It's unnerving. "I...yes. I did."

"Everyone does. But growing up in New York wasn't the best. I know everyone says it's one of the most exciting cities, and they're not wrong. On the surface, it's bright and exciting and cultural. But that's the surface. Never trust the surface." We hit a red light and he looks out the window, staring at something I can't see. Maybe he's thinking about his hometown? I can't be sure. Whatever it is, it distracts him for so long he doesn't realized the light turns green until a car honks at him. "Sorry about that. But Brooklyn might've sounded like a decent borough, but it wasn't the greatest. At least...for me it wasn't."

"...do you wanna talk about what happened?"

"It's...difficult. But let's just say my old man isn't someone I like talking about. Sure, I send him a Christmas card every other year, I call him when a storm hits up his villa, but if I don't have to speak to him, I don't."

Man, that kinda sounds like how I was with my dad when I was in college. I called my mom all the time sure, but my dad? If I didn't  _have_ to call him, I didn't. My mom told him everything he needed to when I called, so why go the extra mile? When I did call him, it was usually because I couldn't reach my mom, but he always made it seem like he had other priorities. Things that were somehow more important than his son. But I knew why after a while: I wasn't the son he wanted, and he made that clear when I was young. If he didn't have an Alpha son, what was the point?

"Part of it was him. Part of it was me. I left home and didn't look back. Did some traveling, got involved with people I shouldn't have, basically did all the stereotypical things people assume city boys would do."

"So you met the Ninja Turtles and had really good pizza and hotdogs? Or is that just mass-media lying to me once again?"

"Haven't found the Turtles yet, but don't think I never tried. Those other things? Mostly true. I was the odd one out because I didn't like hotdogs all that much. The city isn't what people think it is though. Bad shit happens, but that's not always in the papers. All you hear about is the good and the petty crimes. Mass-media is good on that front. But deep in the city, bad people lurk." He's driving intensely, but there's something else in his eyes. I can't place his emotions, but I do know that it's getting really serious. What could've happened to him?

"What did you find back home? Was it what you needed?"

"Part of it. I...that night you found me in the park. I've never gotten like that. Never. I like to drink, but I've never made myself so shit-faced before that I couldn't find my own damn truck. Never let somebody get to me like that."

The urge to say 'I'm sorry' sits on my tongue, but something is holding me back from saying it. Maybe he's talking about someone else, or maybe I drove him to drink. Whatever it is, I decide to let him finish his story. His letters didn't tell me much, just that he made progress.

"The next morning, I realized...I was going down the same path my father did. I was starting to be my old man. All he ever did was drink and push people away from him. My ma, my family, me...and he still drinks. He looks much older than he actually is because he destroyed himself drinking. Sure, he's got some new girl with him out in Acapulco that he screws like crazy, but she looks 30 and he looks 80." We come to another red light and he quickly scrubs his face before putting his hands back on the wheel. "History is doomed to repeat itself I guess. I'm starting down that path and I'm doomed to become him."

"But you stopped. You told me in the letters that you wanted to drink, but didn't pick one up." He didn't...he wasn't lying, was he?

He nods. "I can't be like him. Can't pick up a drink every time things go to shit. It's a temporary fix. Not one I can live with. And I couldn't live with what I had become. I looked in the mirror and saw my old man. That's not the kind of man I want to be. Not the kind of father I should be for Val."

Val? "I don't think you've ever mentioned her before."

"Val's my daughter. She lives back home in Brooklyn."

Huh. That explains why I've never seen her before. "How old is she?" 

Surprisingly, Robert shrugs. "25? 26? Not too sure. But...I avoided her while I was in New York. She works at some new media online magazine thing. I told myself that she was busy and didn't have time for me. Didn't even go say hi. I guess someone told her I was up there because she wasn't happy when she found out. She's got some time off and she wants to meet up with me."

That sounds good, but his face is grim. The car feels really serious all of a sudden. Even Betsy feels tense beneath my fingers. I want to talk but I don't think I should press him about it. Which, I'm glad I stay silent, because he starts talking again.

"There was a chance right in front of me. She wanted to patch things up and I could've gone to meet her. Instead I fucked it up. I was given a chance to make things better, and I ruined it."

Robert turns onto the highway and there's silence once more. Betsy tries to clamber into his lap, but I hold her still because he does not look like he wants to continue right now. It's alright; he told me enough as it is. I want to know what happened with his dad, but I know what its like to have family members who wronged you. My aunt, some of my cousins...I ran away from home to get away from my dad, and I jumped at the chance to move in with Alex to get away from my aunt. 

Robert turns the radio on, a surprisingly upbeat song filling the car with noise. He makes a face and switches the channel to...country? Ew. Robert tries once more to find a station and when it lets us down again, he pops in a CD.

"You like Tom Waits?"

"I love Tom Waits!"

Robert turns up the volume and we continue to just ride. Betsy goes to sleep and I feel like dozing myself. But from the sounds of it...is Robert going to meet with her? I feel like he should, but he's talking like he's going to avoid her again. 

"Are you going to meet Val this time around?"

Robert sighs deeply. His hand twitches like he's about to move it for something, then he tightens it on the wheel. "I'm not even sure. Why would she want to meet me after all this time? I'm not even good for anything. I spent my life only taking, and taking, and taking. I was a broken man sitting on top of a pile of everything I've ever taken. All I do is drink and take. Who would want to meet up with me?"

"...I would."

His chuckle sounds a lot darker than before. "I know. I just don't get why."

To be honest, I don't know myself. I should've just left Robert alone after that one night, but I still worried about him. I worry about the people I care for. "It's obvious that Val would meet you too. Something in her is telling her to meet you."

He stays silent.

"I know it's none of my business, but if it comes down to it, I think you should meet Val. You said you lived your life taking, but why not start giving? Give Val a chance to meet you and talk. I've recently learned that talking usually helps things. Not immediately, but it'll help down the line. I think sh'll appreciate you trying instead of you hiding again."

Robert's face tightens. I think I said something wrong; he looks a bit angry now. "The hell do I even talk about with her? How I abandoned her? How I did nothing in my life except drink and fuck instead of trying to raise her? How I ran away from everything when it went wrong because it was easier to run and drink then to stay?!"

I'm not even sure I should answer him. Maybe this was the place where I shouldn't have tread. I know he wanted to talk but I shouldn't have pressed him about his daughter; I see now that that's a bit too sensitive for him. Should I even try to chance the subject? Or should I keep silent?

Robert answers the question for me, turning up the radio and focusing on driving. I guess that'll do for now.

* * *

I guess I did manage to doze off because before I know it, Robert is shaking me awake because we're almost there.  The signs on the highway advertise a mega mall I've seen on TV and also that Amanda has been begging me to take her to. Robert makes the next turn and navigates through heavy traffic, probably people on their way to the mall. I can just barely make out a large building spread across the land and a parking lot nearly filled to the brim with cars and trucks.

It takes about twenty minutes to get through all the traffic, but soon enough, he's pulling into a crowded parking lot. If we're going to Sweet Tooth and it's inside this mall, then that would mean that Robert traveled over an hour away and braved all this traffic just to get me candy.  

We get out the car, Robert grabbing Betsy from my lap before he helps me out, and we make our way across the parking lot. There are tons of people around, some with children tugging them towards the large mall. Robert keeps an arm around my waist so I don't get lost in the crowd, the other arm holding Betsy. He still looks a little upset from our conversation before, but most of the anger in gone. Now, he just looks a little lost. If that was all the information he wanted to divulge to me, then we can talk another time. I'm a little apprehensive myself to even try to breech the topic again.

The crowd disapates the slightest bit when we get to the doors, then things a lot more than I expect once we get inside. I can't even see the top floor from where we're standing, but the directory tells me that there's five, with the fifth floor being mostly entertainment. And Sweet Tooth is...on the fourth. And right now...stairs are my nemesis. Also long distances

"Let's go. We gotta drop Betsy off real quick."

"Drop her off?" Where?

Robert snorts. "You really think it's a good idea to take Betsy to a candy store? There's a dog day care in this place I'm gonna leave her while we're there."

Oh. I was wondering if we were just going to walk around with her. I mean, I would've carried her if he didn't want to.

"Don't worry about her. She'll be fine for an hour or two." 

It only takes a minute to drop Betsy off for an hour, then Robert leads me to an elevator, which I don't even need to explain how grateful I was for that, and we head to the fourth floor. Sweet Tooth is at the very back of the floor and took up an entire wall. Which...I can see why. It smells like chocolate from where we're standing and the entire store is covered wall to wall in different candy. I don't realize that Robert has taken my hand and is leading me  _into_ the store, where a smiling greeter hands us a small candy. And just like that, I would make the drive up here with Amanda.

"Go nuts kid. Get whatever you want."

I don't even know where I want to start. There's an entire store to choose from! I don't even recognize half of these brand names. I don't even recognize these flavors!

"Need help?" Robert teases.

"Yes please."

* * *

 "Alright Danny. Time to go."

"Nooooo." I pathetically try to tug my arm back, but Robert has a firm grip, not bruising mind you, on my wrist and is practically dragging me out of the store. "Robert, I wanted one more thing." Just one more. I'd be quick, just run in and grab it. It would only take a minute!

"You got enough things. And a cake. You'll be fine."

"Robert, please." 

"No. You said that three times and every time, I let you grab something else. We're leaving Danny."

We spent a little over an hour and a half in Sweet Tooth and I was amazed at how many different brands of chocolate there are. Robert, who didn't actually care for sweets like that but somehow knew his stuff, advised me on which ones I might like since I love chocolate and I trusted him since he bought me the last few bags. But even with some classics, I was in the mood to try something new and bought some candy I wouldn't have even thought to try. And I did get some stuff for the kids as well; I'm not mean enough to not pick them up candy. I got some T-Shirts and novelty stuff for the kids as well, and an obnoxious hat with a candy pun on it for myself. Robert didn't get anything, nor really want anything, even when associates tried to badger him with free samples; he'd just end up giving them to me. I ate more chocolate than I could imagine in that one hour than I have in my entire life. 

Now Robert was being mean and making me leave.

I guess he's right though. I  _thought_ I was finished shopping, but then I saw other stuff I wanted and that led to me getting a cake (they had a bakery and I was suddenly craving chocolate cake),a small one though. And I saw this strawberry chocolate stuff Amanda would love, which I had to get, and then one thing led to another and we had a  _lot_ of bags. Bags that Robert was carrying like a gentleman.

Still..."Robert."

"Nope. Besides, we do have a dog to pick up and I have to get you home before your daughter calls the cops and says I kidnapped you."

"I still have money left on the card though!"

"The mall isn't going anywhere, we can come back."

Could we really? "You promise?"

"Yeah."  

This would be a nice summer destination... "Fine, but I'm going back for that pillow."

Robert just chuckles, shaking his head. "Let's go get Betsy and head out. We got one more stop to make."

Another? How many surprises does he have?

* * *

It takes us longer to navigate out of the mall than it did getting in. Getting out of the parking lot itself was a challenge, then trying to get into the right lane, and getting onto the highway takes a significant amount of time that...it's kinda odd in the car and I don't know what to say at this point. I don't want to start rambling, but I don't know what to talk about. Or what he wants to talk about. I don't want to bring up Val or anything he did, but I don't know what mundane thing he'd like to hear about. I don't even know what he's into. Tom Waitts yes, but how long could we possibly keep up a conversation about him? What do I do?

"Um..."

"It's alright. I hate small talk anyways. Too many people, not necessarily you, but too many people think they need to fill the air with dead noise. Personally, I think they're afraid of the silence. Or they're afraid of that the other person is gonna think of the silence."

I actually am afraid of silence. It makes me feel like I did something wrong, or the other person noticed something wrong, or I said the wrong things and...my thoughts tend to race and then I start thinking the worst and-

"If you want some unsolicited advice, learn to be comfortable with silence. Nothing wrong with two people in a car together stuck in traffic."

Yeah but..what if he's just saying that because I made him mad? What are we even doing here? What even is this? Is it a date or just an outing between friends? Did he just need to vent to somebody or did he really want to see me specifically? And we didn't talk much in the candy store other than the occasional pointing out what the other might like? I went wrong somewhere, I just know it. Why did I have to fuck up again? 

"Hey."

I turn to Robert, seeing him glance at me out the corner of his eye. 

"You alright? I can hear you thinking from over here."

"I...I'm sorry. I just...I'm not the best with silences. I always think the worse. Or I think I did something wrong and the person wants to avoid me. Or I think about the stupid things I might've done. Then I end up rambling like I am now and I make things worse."

"Don't think about anything. Just...observe."

Easier said than done. I try to relax and just focus on...well anything. My thoughts end up drifting to the baby. For so long I've been thinking about them, not necessarily their parent, but them. I know I can raise them pretty well, it's just been a while. And I'm...I'm not exactly young. I'm at a decent enough age, but there might be a health risk involved in me having a child at this age. Not to mention my slightly unhealthy lifestyle. I don't exactly exercise, I've only recently started eating healthy, and I still have that blood pressure to worry about that. What if there's a problem with the delivery or through the rest of the months?

Okay Danny. Focus on something else. Like...like...how we've made it to the highway. Huh. And we'd just been stuck in traffic. Robert must be a lot better at this silence thing than I am. He just looks...so calm. Comfortable. Like nothing is even wrong. I wonder how he does it...he must have some sort of trick to it.

* * *

"Danny. Wake up."

Robert is trying to wake me up, gently shaking my shoulder. "Hmm?" I take a minute to look around. I...am not sure where we are. "Robert-"

"Last stop," Robert promises, helping me out the car. He leaves Betsy sleeping in the backseat and walks around the back, taking a seat. He puts on leg up on the truck and pats the spot beside him.

I sit beside him and take in the view. We're on a hill overlooking the city skyline against the bay. The cool night air rustles some trees near us as light blink in the distance. Off to the side, I can see an entrance to a dense forest. It's gorgeous out here, probably better than it looks in the daytime. All the lights from the building cast a glow over the ocean and the looming structure of the lighthouse stands in the distance. It's...wow, I didn't even know a spot like this existed.

"This is where I come to masturbate."

WHAT? "Um..."

"I'm kidding. What's wrong with you?" He shakes his head. "This is my little spot where I come to think. I spent three days out here before I went to New York.

"It's beautiful out here."

"You can see the whole city from up here. Really puts things in perspective."

He's right. For a while, I thought Maple Bay was relatively small. But from up here, there's so much I haven't explored yet. I wouldn't have even know the city was so pretty had we not come out here.

He rummages around in his jacket until he pulls out something that glints in the moonlight. Is that a knife? I think it's a knife. If I didn't know him that well, I'd be scared that he was going to stab me. But I know that he isn't. At least, I'm  _pretty sure_ he wouldn't. He was a little angry earlier in the car, but not 'I'm gonna stab you' angry.

Right?

Then he pulls something else out of his jacket and it's...wood? He takes the knife to the piece of wood and starts carving at it.Oh. Oh, he's whittling. Of course he wasn't going to stab me. That'd be silly.

"I wasn't going to stab you if that's what you were thinking."

"What? No. I thought you were going to cut a slice of that cake I have. Which you shouldn't do if you want to keep your fingers. I might be pregnant, but I've fought people for cake before. I've fought people for less than cake before. So think about that before you go for the cake."

He laughs but I'm being serious. I will fight him over cake. And he seems to understand that when he looks over and sees that I'm not laughing.

"There are certain sacred things you never mess with, and one of mine is cake. Chocolate cake in particular. You've been warned."

Robert snorts and turns back to the wood. His shoulders start to shake and before I know it, he's laughing really hard. And seeing it...it makes me happy. Robert looks a lot better than before. A lot better. Last time I saw him, he was brooding and unhappy. Now he looks like he's enjoying himself. 

I hate myself for what I'm thinking about. Because I'm likely going to ruin his mood. Maybe I can hold off for a little longer. Just so I can see him happy for a little longer.

"Sorry. Never heard of a man willing to fight for cake."

"Chocolate cake," I correct.

"Chocolate cake." He snorts again, reaching into his jacket to pull out a folding knife, which he hands to me. "You ever whittled before?"

"I've only ever used a knife to carve fancy patterns onto cake. And once on an old lady, but she had it coming to her." I take the knife from him regardless. "I wonder how knives feel against wood and not frosting or human flesh." He hands me another small piece of wood and goes back to his own carving, not even flinching at my statement. 

"Frosting?"

"Yeah, frosting. I've been baking for a while and when it comes to making patterns in frosting, there are a bunch of fancy tools you can use, but there are also different kinds of knives in the kitchen that are perfectly fine." I forgot that Robert doesn't know that I bake. "Or when you're using modeling chocolate or fondant, you gotta be real precise."

Robert hums. "Never thought of it that way. But whittling isn't like baking. It's a time honored tradition enjoyed by both young and old alike. What I'm trying to say is that you might have to handle your knife a little differently here."

Yeah, he might be right. I honestly don't know a thing about whittling. "I'll give it a shot. Don't laugh if I somehow make a snowflake."

He snorts again. "The most important thing to remember while whittling is to cut with the grain, not against it. If you cut against the grain, the wood is gonna splinter."

"I thought safety was the most important." I start carving the wood into...I don't even know what I'm going to make. I might just make a really sharp piece of wood. Or a wand. 

Robert opens his mouth to say something, but then glances down at my stomach in worry. "In this case, it is. I forgot..."

"I'll be fine. A little cut won't hurt the baby."

He nods a little jerkily, like he's snapping himself out of something. "I know. Just, be careful. Wouldn't want to end up with hands like mine."

I look over at his hands. They're calloused and covered in little white scars. They're actually very nice hands. Heck, some of those scars might not even be from whittling. Some might have stories attached to them. I'd like to hear those stories one day if he'd be willing to tell.

"Ah!"

While I wasn't looking, the knife slices into my thumb. Blood splashes all over my mangled wood carving.

"Um..."

Robert doesn't notice me bleeding everywhere, too lost in his carving.

"Uh..."

Still nothing. He's still carving. And I'm still bleeding.

"Robert I'm dying." It's starting to sting a little and there is a lot of blood. My little wooden whatever it was is now all bloody. Which sucks because I was really getting into it. "I'm bleeding to death."

Robert finally looks over and notices the cut. He reaches into his jacket, once again making me wonder just how much stuff he has in there, and pulls out a red bandana. He wraps it around my thumb with practiced hands. "Hold tight."

He hops off the truck and I hear him rummaging around in his car. He returns a moment later with a well-stocked first aid kit. Very carefully, he wipes all the blood off of my hand and swipes a bit of antiseptic onto the cut. I hiss at the slight sting, because while the cut wasn't as deep as I thought it was, it still hurts. And with a surprising amount of gentleness, he places a bit of gauze on the wound and wraps it all up.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm alright." I should be used to getting cuts on my hands from all the times I've screwed up in the kitchen, but I've never cut myself like that before. It still stings a bit, but that'll go away eventually.

He hands me the tube with the rest of the antiseptic in it. "Make sure to keep that cut clean. And we should throw that away." He takes my carving from me, which is probably useless now. Aw, and I was getting attached to the...I still have no idea what it is. Surprising me, he chucks it into the woods near us. 

"Better this way," he says, seeing me look after my craving. "They're attracted to the smell of blood."

"Wait, what? What's attracted to the smell of blood?" Wolves? Can wolves smell blood? I'm pretty sure they can.

"Cryptids. Tons of 'em out here, you know."

"Cryptids? Like Mothman and stuff?"

"Mothman is bullshit, but yeah. This town's a hotbed for cryptozoological occurrences."

"Okay, now I know you're joking." He is joking, right?

"Oh how I wish I were. I'm a skeptic myself. Or at least, I thought I was. There are things in these woods that we can't possibly comprehend."

I think about my entire time in this city. Aside from the occasional stray coyote, I don't think it's too bad. Then again, Robert's lived here longer than I have and has probably been in and out of these woods more times than I can count. If anyone were to see anything out here, it would be him. 

...alright, maybe Robert isn't entirely full of it.

"You ever hear of the Dover Ghost?"

"Can't say I have, no."

"Well, let me tell you a story." His face goes grim. And I mean really grim. "I was out in the woods here on a weekend camping trip with Betty. Had that girl before Betsy. Big pup, pitbull. Real intimidating. I felt safe around her. First night goes without incident. I get some solitude, Betty gets to pee wherever she wants. All good stuff. Second day, I get the idea into my head that I can hike deeper into the woods. Probably against my better judgement, but hey, we're just having a fun camping trip, right? So me and Betty start marching in the morning."

I'm already scared and he hasn't said anything too bad yet.

"It gets a little late and we set up camp, but it's different this night. Real quiet. I can hear the birds, crickets, squirrels, nothin'. Dead silent. Then it happens. I hear the most unholy growl I've ever heard in my life, right outside my tent. Me and Betty go to investigate. We look around the clearing, but no one's there. But there's this feeling, not sure if I can quiet describe it. I know someone, something, is watching us. Betty though, she's scared. Never seen her like that. And when she's scared, I know that I should be too. And then I see it. In the distance."

If this were a horror movie, we'd probably get jumpscared right around now. And because this feels like one, I tense up. It feels a lot colder out now and I can't place why. Maybe it's the wind. Yeah...the wind...

"A man but...if something that didn't know what a man was supposed to look like made it. It just looked...wrong. Big. Arms too long for it's body. Black eyes. It just stood there and stared at me. Then, it disappears. I hear one yelp from Betty and I turn around to check on her. But she's gone. Into thin air. I didn't sleep at all in my tent that night. And I don't think I've slept right since."

"That has to be a joke." He  _is_ joking, right?

"You think I'm lying?"

"I don't know what to think. I watched too many horror movies with my mom, so I don't just dismiss anything. Also, it's really cold out here and when it gets cold, that means something bad is going to happen." If he's just trying to exploit how gullible I am, then he's succeeded. I'm a bit frightened now.

"They say that if you listen closely on quiet nights...nights just like tonight...you can hear the howl of the Dover Ghost."

Robert looks back over the city and effectively leaves me terrified of being here. Great. It's cold, it's quiet, and I have the distinct feeling that something's watching us.

Suddenly, a howl resonates through the woods. It doesn't sound like a regular howl. It's so...guttural. Even from far away, something about it makes my skin crawl.

"Real funny Robert." I knew he was just kidding around. And here I was terrified of nothing. "Where did you find that sound clip?"

Robert isn't laughing. He isn't moving. Heck, I'm not even sure he's breathing. He's white as a sheet.

"R-Robert?"

Betsy goes crazy from the car. I can hear her scratching at the windows and barking too loud and too frantic to be normal. She's whining and throwing herself against the doors so hard, the truck shakes beneath us. She was sleeping before; what woke her up?

"I was messing with you, up until literally just now. I totally made that camping story up."

"And the howl?"

"That wasn't me."

"W...was it Betsy?"

"She doesn't howl like that."

I cautiously turn to the forest line and scan the trees, trying to see where the howl originated from. Off in the distance, I see something. It's so far away, I barely make out a shape. It looks human but it's...dragging something. I'm almost scared to point it out, but I grab Robert's arm and cling for dear life.

"D...Do you see that?"

"We should...go."

Robert and I slowly back away and get into the truck. He turns off his headlights and we make a slow crawl away, back onto the road. I'm too scared to look back. I can't even wrap my head around what that might've been. It was on two legs like a human, but humans can't make noises like that. 

"What...was that?" I'm almost too scared to ask.

"The Dover Ghost...I guess."

"Or...someone was illegally dumping garbage on a wildlife preserve?" It sounds better and makes a lot more sense. Also, it's the only explanation I have for the shape. As for the howl...well, it could've been some animal not native to Maple Bay. Yeah...let's go with that.

"Sure, that's the story we'll tell ourselves."

Betsy climbs into my lap and rests there, but she feels tense beneath my fingers and she's shaking. I wish I could soothe but, but even she's scared of whatever might've been out there. The car is silent as he get closer and closer to the city.

"Robert? Thank you for taking me out today. I had fun."

He has a small smile on his face. "Figured I owed you after just leaving the way I did. But I had to...you know. Get away for a bit."

"I understand. Like I said, I'm just glad you came back. You should've told me ahead of time though; I would've thrown you a party."

"You sound like Mary."

That puts a pit in my stomach but I shake it off. I can deal with that later. "You told her you were back?"

"Her and Damien. They didn't know why I left, but they know I'm back. Mary wanted to celebrate, but I told her I wanted a little time to readjust. Damien's coming over sometime so we can talk."

So he  _did_ know about what Robert was doing. I can't be mad at him; Robert probably told him to keep it a secret at the time; he was just being a good friend. It does explain why he was happier than normal lately.

"You feel like turning in?"

In all honesty, my nerves are still buzzing with adrenaline from that last encounter. I'm not sure I could sleep better tonight. "No, not yet. Have any other secret spots you want to show me?"

He shakes his head. "A man's gotta have a few secrets. We can hit up the park for a little if you wanna."

"The park sounds nice."

* * *

Betsy has calmed down a lot more by time we get to the park. We can barely get her leash on her before she's out the car and running around the park  in glee. And the first thing she does is go pee on a tree before running back over to us for the leash.

Robert and I head over to the swings, where he lets me sit with Betsy's leash in hand while he pushes me back and forth. 

This is nice. The whole day has been really nice. From going to the mall all the way to now. We had tense moments that I regret causing, but they were few and far between. He looked much better than before and he just feels a lot better.

Still, as peaceful as everything is, I can't hold back any longer. I have to ask him, or I might blurt it out at a really bad time. 

"Robert, I'm sorry for bringing this up, but I have to know. Why did you reject the baby? You've told me so much today, but I need to know. Can't you tell me this?"

I'm not ready for it when Robert grabs the chains of the swing and pulls me to an abrupt halt. I almost fall over, but I steady myself in time and turn to look at him. His knuckles are white he's gripping the chains so hard, and even though he's looking down at me, his eyes are wide and...scared?

Fuck, I really did ruin things.

"I...I didn't...it wasn't because..." he trails off, looking off in the distance for something. Maybe this was all too much too soon. We might've talked all day, but this was the thing he wasn't ready for. And now the mood isn't going to be the same.

"Never mind. We don't have to ta-"

"No." He speaks so loudly and suddenly that I jump. "No, it's okay. I...I'm okay." He sighs. "The reason...I-Look, I'm not a good guy. I can't even get to know the child I already have; I fucked up her life enough and look at us. Look at me. I didn't want to do the same to you or this kid. I want to...to, fuck-I don't know. I want to try to be there, but I know I'll fuck it up again. I said what I said so you'd get pissed at me, see what a horrible person I really am, and if the kid was mine, raise 'em away from me so I don't mess up their life. It would've been better for everyone that way."

What is he even saying? Better for who? "No it wouldn't!"

"Danny-"

"Don't 'Danny' me! Whose life would be better?! Not mine and not the child's!"

"You have enough people in your life; you could tell the kid any of the other fathers, the ones actually there for their kids, is the father. You don't need someone like me polluting their life." He sounds so calm and so convinced that there was nothing wrong with his statement.

"No. I couldn't. And you know why? Because that's not right! I know I could easily just pass the child off as someone else's, but what does it look like if you don't give the child a chance and I just let you walk away without taking it?! And how do you think the child would feel? I wouldn't lie to my baby!" I'm done with the lies. It hurt my relationship with Amanda and I don't want it to hurt my relationship with anyone else. "I won't lie to my baby!" 

"It would've been better-" Robert tries to talk, but I can't hear him. I don't want to hear him.

"I don't want to hear it! No, it wouldn't be better! Why take the chance away before it's even there?! I know there's a big chance for everyone but you're included too! And I don't...I don't want to think about you  _not_  being there." Damn it, I'm starting to cry. "I don't want to lose you; I don't want to lose anyone in my life." It hurts to wake up everyday knowing I'm a day closer to changing everyone's life. Once we find out the baby's parentage, everything is changing. Someone might leave and I don't want that. Fine, I'm selfish for wanting that, but is it so bad? When all these people come into your life and change it so much, can you really bare to lose them? I know I can't. "You said you wanted to change. But how can you change if you go back and do the same things?"

Robert sighs. "I do want to change...but I don't know how I would deal with another child hating me."

"I don't think you're daughter hates you, and I don't think this baby will hate you. But you have to give both of them a chance."

Robert goes quiet for a moment. Then, he comes around the swing to stand in front of me. No matter how much I try, I can't see his expression. He's avoiding me.

Then he drops to his knees in front of me and drops his head. "I want to be better," he whispers. "I want to do right. But I don't know how." His voice is shaking. Is he...is he crying? "I'm not even sure if I can be better. All I've done is make mistakes. How can you trust me to do right by you, by the kid, by _anyone_?"

I open my mouth to speak, but Robert takes a breath and continues talking. "I thought you were fucking with me when you told me you were pregnant. Because that would be easier than taking responsibility. I can barely take care of myself; how am I supposed to take care of a child?"

"Robert, look at me."

He refuses.

I take his face in my hands and lift it until he's staring at me. As I thought, he's crying. "Robert, we talked about this. Read all the books you want, listen to so-called experts, even do as much prep as you want; it isn't like the real thing. I don't think anyone is ready for a child, no matter how many they have. Because raising a child is always going to be different." It's going to be challenging and confusing, but that's just how raising a child is. "You don't have to jump in right away. You can take more time if you need to, reconnect with Val, or get away again if you need to. I don't mind."

"God...why are you such a saint?" Robert shakes his head and makes a noise that's supposed to be a laugh, but comes out wrong. "D-don't you have any flaw? Something wrong with you?"

"I've lied to my daughter before and there's a dice roll on this baby's father. I'm not perfect. I just..." I can't help but think back to everything I've done in my life, all the mistakes I've made. I have a bunch of flaws, I'm just trying to get better. "I have flaws as well. Everyone does. But our flaws don't define us." If I could go back in time and stop myself from doing all the stupid things I did, I'm not sure I would. All the mistakes I made helped me when I got older; I learned from them and they made me a better person than I was before. "Don't pretend that you don't have feelings, and don't pretend that you have to be a loner. You don't have to feel this way. Don't think that no one wants you around or hates you, because I don't and neither does Val."

"What if I make things worse? Things are already bad between us. I cared about her. I always did. Things just...got in the way. And before I knew it she was leaving for college, wanting nothing to do with me. Now, she's got a whole career ahead of her. Why would she want anything to do with me?"

"I can't answer that because I don't know how she's feeling or what she's thinking. But I can tell you that this is where you stop taking.  _This_ is where you work on giving. If you want things to change, you have to take the first step." I wipe his tears with my thumbs. "Can you do that Robert? Can you take the first step and give Val a chance?"

Robert doesn't answer me.

I didn't expect him to, not so quickly. I'm not going to force him into anything but I will try to guide him where I can. It wouldn't be right of me to tell him what he wanted to hear; he  _needed_ to hear this.

"Sleep on it Robert. Decide what you want to do tomorrow. But if you want a change, wake up tomorrow and vow that you'll never repeat the days before, but that you'll look forward to a new you for tomorrow." More tears spill down his cheeks, tears I wipe away again and again. "It's gonna be okay."

"But..." Robert doesn't seem like he'll be able to finish. 

I get off of the swing and drop to my knees as well, pulling Robert as tightly to me as I can. He buries his head into mu shoulder, hugging me back, clutching me like I might run away. I place a hand on the back of his head and stroke his hair, letting him cry it out. His body shakes and shudders and his breath is uneven, but I hold him throughout all of it.

"...thank you..." he manages to gasp out.

* * *

It's much later than I imagine when we get back to the cul-de-sac. We were out at the park for longer than I had imagined, but we stayed holding each other for a long time before he felt well enough to get up. And even then we took a minute to fully calm down. The drive home was quiet, with Robert holding my hand the whole way home. 

"I really had fun out today Robert," I tell him softly.

He's yet to let go of my hand. "Yeah."

I'm not sure I want him to let go. But I do need to sleep. And to make sure Amanda's okay. But I can't just leave him, and Robert doesn't seem like he wants to let me go. "Um..." this is going to sound really forward of me. "Do you want to spend the night? Sleeping I mean. Not for anything...anything else. Just sleep."

Robert chuckles softly. "Yeah. I'd like that."

He grabs Betsy from my lap and exits the car, getting my door for me when he reaches my side. He helps me grab all my candy bags before we head to the door. I fumble with my keys, but manage to get the door open.

Amanda's asleep on the couch, the lamp beside her on, the kitchen lights ad hallway lights are on, and the TV playing late-night infomercials. Poor baby must've waited up all night for me. I quickly put my bags in the fridge and cover her with a spare blanket, shutting off all the lights except for the hall lights and turning off the TV. Robert and I carefully make our way back to my bedroom, where he deposits Betsy at the foot of my bed. He respectfully looks away while I change into my pajamas, and I hear him shuffling around, probably taking off his jacket and pants. I head to the bathroom very quickly and when I return, he's at the far side of my bed, trying to make as much room for me as possible.

I climb in beside him and rest my back against his chest. I can feel his heart beating and it's moving about a mile a minute. But I don't mention it; he's probably got a lot going on right now. "Goodnight Robert."

"Goodnight Danny."

* * *

The bed is way too hot.

I know I'm one of those weird guys who sleeps with a blanket on no matter how hot it is, but I usually keep my fan on to stop myself from getting too hot. I'm burning up right now and have no clue why. I never get this hot, not even in the summer. I really hope I'm not coming down with something...

I try to move from the bed, but something is locked around my waist that prevents me from moving. It's...an arm. I can't really turn around, but I managed to get a quick peek over my shoulder. It's...Robert? He makes a little noise as I try to move and presses closer to me. I feel his breath tickling the back of my neck and his arm tighten even more.

I hear another noise from the bed and last night all comes flooding back to me. Robert, the park, inviting him to stay...I thought he'd be gone the minute the sun rose, but I guess he was really tired last night. I should get up and make breakfast. All we did was eat candy yesterday and that's not exactly the best meal. Plus I'm not sure what exactly Robert's been eating lately and a good meal will do him good.

I get out of the bed, with a great deal of difficulty because Robert will  _not_ let me go, and head to the bathroom to wash up and brush my teeth. I try to be as quiet as possible so that I don't wake him up. I keep peeking out every once in a while to check on him, and he seems like he's not waking up anytime soon. Good. Hopefully I can surprise him.

Betsy greets me when I walk into the living room, hopping off the couch and running over. "So there's where you ran off to." I lean down and scratch behind her ears. I was afraid that she'd somehow gotten out while we were sleep and we'd have to chase after her. "What're you doing out here?"

"Mornin' Pops!" Amanda waves from the kitchen, causing Betsy to run over to her. So that explains it. Betsy made a new friend. And Amanda's cooking, so the smell probably woke her up and knowing Amanda, she kept Betsy entertained the whole morning while she was cooking. There a little bits of bacon on the floor and I know that's Amanda's doing. "You guys slept in and I didn't want to wake you up."

"Good morning Amanda. Sorry we were out so late last night. We did a lot of talking and it ran longer than I thought."

"I thought so. But I stayed up a while just in case you needed me." She laughs and Betsy tries to jump up and grab a pancake. "This is like, the best dog. I was just making breakfast and I guess she smelled bacon. Next thing I know there's a puppy scratching at my legs and jumping all over me. Did you and Robert steal a dog last night? If you guys did, awesome. I like her."

"No Amanda. This is Robert's dog."

She raises an eyebrow. "Seriously? I pictured him as more of a rottweiler guy." Betsy sits at our feet. "We could totally kidnap her and get Robert a rottweiler. Really complete his bad boy look."

"I don't think so. Betsy is his cryptid hunting partner, and a damn good one."

"Cryptid hunting? Dad, you don't mean Mothman right? Cause you know that Mothman is bullshit, don't you?"

"No, not Mothman, and does everyone know that but me?" I feel like I'm missing something here.

She grins. "It's alright Pops. If everyone's in the know, no one knows anything new no more, and then who knows?"

"Amanda, you can't do that to your deal old dad so early in the morning."

"Actually, it's sometime in the afternoon." She heads back into the kitchen and starts making plates. "I made pancakes. I hope that's okay, I wasn't sure when anybody was going to wake."

Speaking of waking, Robert should get up and eat with us. "I'll be right back. I'm gonna go wake Robert up." 

Amanda nods and starts putting extra bacon on the floor for Betsy. I head back to my room, where Robert is still sound asleep. It's faint, but I still see tear tracks on his cheeks from last night. At least he's peaceful now.

"Robert." I carefully touch his shoulder, not sure if he's a jumpy type. I wouldn't want him to attack first and ask questions later. "Robert, wake up."

He mumbles a little, but he's awake far faster than I thought. A little delirious of course, but he gets his bearings fairly quick and rubs his eyes. "What time is it?"

"A little after noon maybe? I'm not sure. I just got up myself. C'mon, breakfast is ready." 

Robert slowly rises from the bed and it's when he searches for clothes that I realize that he doesn't have any fresh ones. 

"You can borrow some of my clothes if you want. They might be a little on the small side, but it's better than nothing." I search through my drawers for something big enough for him while Robert heads to the bathroom. The only thing that might fit are some old sweatpants and an over-sized hoodie that I've yet to wear. 

Robert takes the clothes when he comes back from the bathroom and quickly gets dressed, following me out to the kitchen to the set table. He seems a little surprised that Amanda is there with Betsy, but he quietly takes a seat at her right. She greets him just like she did me, and he seems a bit surprised before he answers back. He gives her a quiet thanks before digging into his food.

There's silence for a beat and then Amanda starts talking, probably to make sure Robert isn't too uncomfortable. She talks about what she did while she was waiting for us to come home, how she ended up binging what she missed from  _Young and Lovely_ all night while we were out. We talk about little plot details and characters, trying not to spoil anything in case Robert is a fan, but he stays quiet. I'm not sure if it's because he doesn't think he can talk with us or because he's thinking. He's just...eating and staring off into space when he doesn't look at us. I'm not sure if I was expecting him to really interact with us; heck I was sure he was going to deny having breakfast with us, but I'm glad he stayed. I don't want to ask him for too much after he just came back.

Breakfast is finished a little too quickly for my liking because Amanda takes the dishes to the sink to get washed and announces that he has to go. Betsy follows him into my room, where they stay for a minute or two before he's back and fully dress. We don't say anything as we head to the door, but Robert stops just as he grips the knob.

Robert slowly turns to me and takes a breath before speaking. "Thanks for...well, everything yesterday."

I don't know if he's referring to all the talking we did or just hearing him out, but I smile anyways. "You're welcome Robert. Are you okay?"

"I will be. I got a couple more things to think about but...I'm gonna try and start changing."

Good. I'm really glad.

"I'll see you around Danny."

Robert opens the door and I watch him head to his truck, waiting until I see him pull out the driveway before I shut the door. I'm glad I had that chance last night to talk with Robert. It opened my eyes a little more; I just hope that his opened, even just a little. I did mean what I said; he deserves more than he thinks he does.

Amanda comes out the kitchen, arms loaded with candy, and dumps it all on the coffee table, gesturing for me to sit beside her on the couch. I laugh and sit beside her, tearing open caramel candies while she debates over what she wants. 

"So..." Amanda takes one of the fancier chocolate bars and bites into it. "What did you guys talk about? Or is it private?"

"We talked a lot. Just about life and other stuff. It's kinda not my place to say, but we had a bit of a heart-to-heart." There was still a lot of process from last night, but I think we reached a good place.

"And got all this candy. Jeez Dad. This is like, then pounds of chocolate. And there's a cake in there!"

"If you have a problem with it, you don't have to eat any of it."

"No, I'm gonna. It's just a lot. It's gonna take like, three days to eat all of this."

"Three? Amanda, you're lagging on me."

We share a laugh and keep eating chocolate. It's probably unhealthy after just having breakfast, but neither of us could care. I'm not sure how many more times I can have these moments with Amanda. And if our falling out had gotten worse, we might not have even had these moments anymore. Last night...it really put things into perspective.

"Hey Amanda?"

"Yeah Dad?"

"Did I tell you how much I loved you today?"

Amanda seems confused at my sudden change in tone, but doesn't question it. "You didn't have to. All this candy you bought me says it all." She throws an arm around me in a hug. "In all seriousness, no. You haven't yet."

I kiss her forehead and hug her back. "Well, I love you Amanda. And, if you ever need anything, and I mean  _anything,_ I will always be there for you."

"I know Dad. I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, gave myself some feels writing this. Do not want. Never doing that again.  
> ...hahaha I'm a liar.
> 
> (also deleted the sweet tooth scene because it wasn't important so that's why the scene switches the way it does)


	11. Worries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amanda takes a moment to think about her life thus far and realizes that she has some fears she never confessed to before and has a lot on her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is entirely Amanda's POV and is a bit dialogue heavy since the father-daughter stuff is long overdue and I like Amanda's story. Her thoughts are a little all over the place throughout this chapter but she's struggling with stuff and needs an ear.

College is getting closer and even though I'm excited, I'm utterly terrified of what might happen.

It's just that...we're already in the second week of summer and in another month, I have to go all the way to another state to tour campus, go to some event where I'll stay for there for three days, start the registration process, and two weeks after that is when I'll actually move in. Two weeks after that I start college and everything will be different. Some of my high school teachers, save for Mr.Vega of course, made it seem like college was going to be so different from high school and so much more difficult and that scared me a little. I know I can't rely on them to tell me what college is truly like, but that's not the only thing that scares me.

I'm gonna have a little siblings in five months. And I won't be there for it.

I've gotten so used to being with my dad for everything that it feels weird thinking about not being there when he has the baby. And even weirder that I won't be there for a good portion of their lives. Dad tells me that I'd be a great big sister, but how often will I really get to see them while I'm in college. Seeing them through pictures and video chat (once I actually teach him how to do that) is one thing, but I'll miss the important events.

Dad's gonna give birth in five months and I won't be there for it. I want to be there for him, but I can't just up and drop school to see him. He'd be upset if I skipped out on going to class for him, no matter how much I wanted to. And knowing me, I'd want to stay for a least a month or two to take care of him and it would cause problems for my school schedule, which would only leave me with an angry father. But I  _really_ want to be there.

And...that's part of the reason why...

I never told my dad this, but for a long time, I was considering going to a community college about an hour away from Maple Bay instead of all the way out to a university. Not just because I didn't want him to be entirely alone, but because going to college terrified me. I wasn't even worried about him all the time; I was worried about myself.

Dad taught me how to be self-sufficient when it comes to basic necessities and we even learned how to sew together just in case I had to make emergency pairs of socks and stuff, but there are other things that I don't know how to do and I'm not sure how well I could actually take care of myself in college when there's so much I can't do. I know I'm not going to be living entirely alone, but what if my roommates and I fall apart? What if I flunk out after a semester? What if I come back dome and Dad is disappointed that I didn't live up to my potential?

And Dad...I know he said he wouldn't forget about me, but he'll have the baby to think of. What if I get wrapped up in school and he gets wrapped up in the baby that we don't speak as much as we could? What if the alphas finally grow some balls and tell him how they feel, and he gets caught up in a new relationship and just forgets to call me? I couldn't stand it if we stopped talking. But he wouldn't do that. Dad wouldn't forget about me...

Would he?

* * *

"Dad?" Had I known I'd miss him already and I hadn't even started packing yet, I would've spent all the time with him I wanted before all of this. Now it feels like I don't spend enough time with him. Call me selfish if you want, I want to soak up as much time with my dad as I possibly can. I know I'm being insecure thinking that he'd forget me, but things happen sometimes and I don't want us to drift apart. He always tells me that he's always there, but he'll have so much going afterwards that he might not prioritize me. I don't want that to happen. "Where are you?"

"I'm in the kitchen."

I find him at the table, surrounded by a whole assortment of chocolate, two bowls, a knife, and a metal tray. He smiles at me and gestures to the chair beside him. "I started craving again, brownies this time, and I was just about to make some. Wanna help me? You can lick the bowl."

I want to tell him no, to stay off his feet and rest, but I don't want to stop him from doing something he loves. He doesn't say it, but I can see how frustrated he is with being confined to bed rest all the time. But I, along with the alphas, just worry about him doing too much. Maybe my worry is misplaced, but I know my dad; he'll insist he's fine even when he's tired and won't lay down until he's ready to collapse. I'm glad I have people beside me to tell him to sit down, but he's starting to get restless and he'll liable to get fed up soon. "Sure. What kind?"

"I figured since I had all this chocolate, a lot of caramel chocolate in particular, I was going to chop up the candy into smaller pieces and put those in the mix. Let's be honest, even with how much we love chocolate and how much I give to the younger kids, this won't all get eaten. I figured I could do something more productive with it instead of letting it go to waste."

"Sounds good to me. We doing it from scratch?"

He holds up a box of brownie mix and gives it a shake. "I thought about it, but this'll be fine for now. Making from scratch is a little time consuming and I don't really feel like it at the moment."

These are moments I'm going to miss. I may have said that I'm excited and happy to go to college and prepared for it, but part of that was a lie. I'm not sure how prepared I really am for this. I know how to cook and clean and I even know how to sew thanks to a daddy-daughter lesson we went to, but beyond that? I don't know how to money manage, schedule appointments, prepare for a job interview...there's a lot I'm still learning.

I forgot how impressive it was when my dad starts making desserts. Seeing people on TV doing it is one thing, but watching someone who's a damn near professional is something else. He's been doing this for so long and I've watched him for years now, but it always amazes me to see him work; to me, he's an artist whose perfected his craft and he's a master at it. Whenever he makes desserts he just gets this...look. A good look. He loses himself in his baking, especially when he has a new idea he wants to try, and throws his heart into it. He doesn't notice it, but there's definitely a lot of love in the stuff he makes.

We don't say much while we work, Dad rubbing his stomach every now and then, speaking softly to the baby and humming a song while I watch him, mindlessly chopping candy for the batter. It doesn't feel awkward or tense between us; we're just a father and daughter baking brownies together and spending time with one another. I want to say something, to talk to him, but I don't want to ruin this. I want this to last for as long as it can.

"Alright, now we just dump the candy in and we can pop them in the oven. Can you do the honors m'lady?" He pretends to bow in front of me and presents the bowl to me with a flourish. 

"Seriously Pops, stop reading those old novels with Damien." I dump all the candy into the bowl, noticing that some of my pieces were uneven compared to his. It also looks like we have a lot more candy than we do batter. It ends up looking a little too lumpy for my tastes but dad pours a fourth cup of milk into the mix and it smooths out.

"No way. Damien loves those old books and I think they're really nice. You'd like a couple of them if you gave them a try." He sets the tray in the oven and starts the timer on the stove, handing me the batter bowl. "Here. As promised, you may lick the bowl."

"Cool. Thanks Pops!"

He sets to work cleaning up our mess while I clean the bowl. Dad starts humming some old song again, one he used to sing to me all the time. Every now and then, he'll put a hand on his stomach and smile softly. I'm just as excited as he is for the baby, but it still hurts that I won't be there with him. I'll be in college...far away...on my own...

"Hey, Dad? I'm gonna go take a nap. I uh, don't feel to good."

He turns to me, concern all over his face. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. I think I ate too much batter too quick. I'll be fine once I lay down."

He looks like he knows I'm lying, but he lets it go. "Alright. But let me know if you need me. I'll be right out here."

"I'm a big girl Dad. I'll be fine."

* * *

Everyone has a different opinion on college and it's confusing. Some people online are saying that professors are these really chill people who cancel class at the drop of a hat, and that college life is the best. Others say that professors are strict and never cancel class and force you to do fifteen page essays during the first week. And others don't even say the professors are bad; college itself is apparently terrible on its own and you aren't a failure if you decide to drop out. Everyone has their own separate advice but no one has any helpful advice for me.

I don't know what to think now. There are a few hopeful souls out there who says all the hype and fear is for nothing, but there's only a few of those hopeful souls.

This sucks.

A video suddenly comes through from an unknown number, a video of some dog barking really angrily at the cameraman. Attached to the video is a message. From the last person I want to talk to.

_look! I found a better video of you!_

**_do you literally have nothing better to do?_ **

Emma R has been on me ever since we split. First, she was mad about that prank Lucien and I played on her, one I have a video of but didn't send to anybody since I'm not that kind of person. Now she's mad over what Emma P sent her in the group chat, but it was all the truth. She doesn't see it that way but she keeps bringing it back to me. I blocked two numbers of hers, but she always finds a new way to get back at me. At this point, it's pretty annoying that she keeps doing this even after she left me on read, but I guess no one else wants to bother with her and she's left with nothing to do but torment me.

_what's the matter? can't take a joke?_

**_jokes are supposed to be funny._ **

She's been relentless with it but I haven't let her get to me all that much. It's just annoying to get a hurtful message from her every now and then since I didn't do anything wrong. She's trying to fill her time with something and that ends up being torturing me.

_you know whats really funny? you actually thinking you had a chance with Noah._

And  _that's_ where it starts to hurt. The only thing she can say to me that actually stings a little is about Noah. When she's almost all out of options, she'll hit me with that, and that really hurts.

_did you seriously think he'd be into you? that's adorable. and pathetic. whatever hints you thought he was giving you was just him being nice, but you being an alpha thought it meant he wanted you. alphas like you need to get over yourselves._

**_it's funny that you hold on to the idea that you and Noah will have this perfect, long distance relationship when you move. if he hasn't broken up with you now, he'll probably do it before you leave for Cali. bc let's be real. if you do try to cling to a relationship, one of you is bound to cheat._ **

**_and considering your track record, we both know who its gonna be._ **

_you promised you would never bring that up!_

**_you promised to be my BFF. see how it feels?_ **

I really wish she'd just leave me alone. We've been friends for the longest time and for her to act so hostile for me...the messages themselves aren't hurtful, it more like whose sending them that hurts the most. I thought Emma would be reasonable or know how much I hate my nature but she used it against me. 

I just...I feel like snapping.

* * *

"Hey Pops, do you have a minute to talk?" I'd be a hypocrite if I get mad at him for not talking to me and I can't talk with him. I think keeping all of this bottled up is why I'm freaking out so much. I need to talk it out.

"Sure Amanda. What's up?"

"There's...there's some stuff I have to tell you." He clears a spot for me on the couch next to him and I sit down, swiping the pillow from behind me. I want to take a brownie from the plate he has, but I don't need one yet and he doesn't have a corner piece yet. "So...remember how I had that huge falling out with my friends? There was more to the story than what I told you, and there's some other stuff I should talk to you about."

He mutes the TV and turns to me, giving me his full attention. "Go ahead. What happened?"

"Alright so...where do I even start? There's like, a lot that happened and so much of it pisses me off thinking about it, especially Emma. She was my best friend and she went and...ugh, it's probably just annoying teenager stuff." I should've just let it go after it happened, but I couldn't. After all those years of friendship, she just threw it away! It's hard to just forget everything like she didn't mean a lot to me. We planned on taking on the world together, and now look at us.

"It's not annoying teenager stuff. You have feelings Amanda, feelings that you shouldn't ignore. Remember what we talked about? Talk to me; start from the beginning and go from there. And don't leave anything out."

I was so sure he was gonna just let me dismiss it, but I should've known better. Dad's always on me about talking to him about my feelings, even when it doesn't seem like he has time for it. He always makes me feel like I'm listened to. "Well...there's just this big whole thing and...I don't even know how to explain it. It would take a giant flow chart just to sort through this whole thing."

"I have time Amanda. I don't care how long it takes. If I have to, I'll take notes while we talk. We have a notepad around here somewhere."

"No need for notes, but feel free to stop me if I go off on a tangent." Which I've been doing lately ever since I broke it off with Emma R. She's been blowing up my phone like crazy with all these messages about how terrible I am. I've been ignoring them even though I really want to rip her a new one. "Let's start from the top. Like, the very top. It started before the whole 'video thing'. Emma has always been a bit of a better student than me and colleges had their eyes on her since like, freshman year. But I never cared because who wants to think about college in ninth grade? Well Emma did and all the attention went to her head, especially after we took the PSATs and she made an insanely high score. Not perfect, but really high up there. Then she showed me a bunch of letters she got from potential colleges and just got really...I don't know, what's the word?"

"Full of herself."

"Yeah. I didn't say anything back then because I didn't care, but then things started getting worse. She started acting differently when the whole thing about nature came up. She was upset that I was an alpha and she was a beta because that meant she was just 'normal' but I didn't see the issue but apparently it was one and it was my fault that I was born with more of an advantage then her and-" I wave my hand; that doesn't matter right now. At least, not at this point in the story. Later on, it makes a huge difference. "Anyways, Emma R is going to some fancy art school out in California, but ever since she got her acceptance letter, I've been feeling like she's been drifting away, you know? And she started spending a bunch of time with Grace and Emma P. I thought it was all in my head for a while, but then I found out from Rosie M-"

"Hold on, I haven't heard that name before. Rosie M is..."

"She was one of the preppy girls I avoided at graduation. She was also the biggest gossipers of the school and knows everything about everyone so I know she was telling me the truth. Anyways, Rosie M. told me that both of the Emmas, Grace, and Noah-"

"Noah...?"

"He's...just a...guy. Ugh, I had a huge crush on him. Remember when I was asking about how to show people that you're not your nature but your own person? I was asking so that I could talk to him without him seeing me for my nature." Even though that ended up being the only thing he noticed about me. "God, that was a thing and it was embarrassing! I don't even know what I saw in him."

"You were probably blinded...by his...I mean, was he cute at least?"

"He was...I'd give him a 6 outta 10." And that's me being very generous to him. 

"Yikes. But continue."

"So he and the others all went to a party at Mckenzie F's on the same night they all told me they were busy studying for the Calc AP final. They could've told me the truth instead of lying, but this was after the video incident so I hadn't been invited to this party and that sucked!" I got uninvited from so many parties after the video and it hurt. I had like, five different parties to go to before the video, and afterwards, I was uninvited from all of them. Sometimes it was in a really nice way, other times it was a beat around the bush type of uninvitation. "And little sidenote about the Noah thing: the only person I told about my stupid crush was Emma R, and she promised not to tell anyone. And I didn't confront anyone after the party because Emma had already started enough drama around me because of that video so I had been trying to keep my head down for a while and just go about my business." My mouth is starting to taste bitter so I take a brownie from my dad's plate and try to eat it with one huge bite. Not a smart idea because I nearly choke, but it's a good brownie.

"And those were the days you were hanging out with Lucien? Right? Am I on the right track?"

"Yep. Keep up though, because here's where it gets really interesting. One day, against my better judgement, I decide to invite everybody out to get nachos at the mall and talk, since they accused me of finding new friends after  _they_ were being bad friends to  _me_ , and I figured we could maybe sort this out? But after not texting me back for like two hours even though none of them have ever put their phones down for more than sixty seconds, they all texted me back like, simultaneously. So I told them nevermind, I'll just each nachos at home. Even though you were on your diet kick, nachos can be healthy, right?"

He shakes his head. "I don't think that's exactly right but we're getting off track and I don't want to get into that disagreement right now. So continue."

"Cool. So, we didn't have any chips in the house, tragic, so I decide to go to the mall anyways and head to the food court. And who do I see there?"

"Your asshole friends?"

"All of them! Just hanging out together and eating nachos! Without me!" I wasn't as hurt as I could've been since I had already made peace with the fact that they were terrible friends, but how could they pretend like they wanted to make up with me after what they did and then lie to me? Did they really think I was a pushover?

"Those fiends."

"Wait, here's the real kicker: I watch them for a while and realize that Noah has his arm around Emma R, which is weird right?"

"Don't tell me-"

"APPARENTLY they were dating. Because then they KISS!"

"Holy shit!" 

"I know!" I don't know why I didn't think my dad would understand me; he always tries his best even if certain things go over his head. "So I go over there, trying to stay calm because I don't need another video getting out about me, and I ask them what the heck was going on. And of course, they all acted oh so surprised like this isn't the second time they went behind my back and did really shady crap, and Emma R kinda, just like, glares at me. But no one says anything and just stares at me like I'm an idiot, so I tell them that they suck and that  _this_ was the exact reason I left in the first place, not because I was a moody alpha. Sure, it wasn't the best thing to say but I was really bummed out at that point and couldn't think of anything better. So I went to leave, but Lucien was there and we hung out and played a huge prank of them. I'll tell you about it another time." nothing that hurt them physically but I definitely have video evidence of something they would  _not_ want people to see. I do still have Rosie M's number and if I send her the video, she'll send it to everyone she knows.

"You guys didn't do anything to hurt them, did you?"

"Don't worry about it; it was harmless. So I come home and hang out with you for a little and I feel a little better, but I draft up a super long text to the group chat asking why they decided to be such so terrible to me, and I draft a separate one to Emma R asking about the Noah thing and why she was the worst one of all and...sorry, you still following me?" I feel like I've been dumping a little bit too much on him and disturbing what he was doing.

"I'm keeping up. Trust me. I want to hear the rest of this."

"Alright. So Emma R tells me, you know what, you just wanna read it? It'll be easier." I pull up the texts on my phone and hand it to my dad. "Start from right here and just go all the way down." I steal another brownie, maybe two, while he reads the messages. I know it'll take him a while but I don't feel like talking about what she said anymore. I've already cut my ties with her and I don't want to re-read that catastrophe. "If you need me to elaborate on a couple things, let me know."

"No, I think I'm doing okay. I'll use context clues if I need to.

He continues reading for another ten minutes while I continuously steal brownies from his plate; he's so focused on reading that he doesn't notice me taking more than half of the rest of the brownies. When he's finally finished, he leans back against the couch and rubs his eyes. "Whoa..."

"Yeah. They were dating in secret for like, months! So I told her that she was being a terrible friend, so she told me that I didn't have to keep being her friend. So I told her, which was mostly said out of rage, that she's lucky that I'm not the kind of person who gets revenge because someone else in my shoes would've put her in her place and she's lucky I'm not the kind of alpha she's been telling people I am. Then she left me on read."

"And that means to..."

"She read my messages and didn't reply. It's a setting on most phones and-wait, don't you have it on your phone?"

"Just because there's a setting turned on doesn't mean I understand what it does or why. Go ahead though; I feel like this isn't the end of the story."

"Get comfortable because there's more. See, while this is happening, I'm talking to Emma P about how pissed I am because at least she's being a little reasonable, and I'm telling her how mad I am at everyone else for being jerks, when out of nowhere Noah texts me all like "how could you say that about me?" and I'm like "Say what about you" and he tells me that Emma P sent screenshots of everything I told her to the group chat that I'd been kicked out of! So I text Emma P and basically tell her off for being so two-faced, I tell Noah that I don't want to talk to him anymore because he's just as bad as the rest of them, and then tell the others off to. And that was that, right?"

"I don't want to say right because there's more isn't there?"

"Yep. Because Emma R. starts texting me about crap and she's been harassing me ever since. Even now, she's still messaging me and can't let go of anything, but now she's talking about Noah and I'm like 'dude I don't even care anymore' but she's still in my ass about it. And now we're here."

Dad rubs his eyes a little ad puts his head in his hands. For a minute, I think he's crying but he lets out a sigh and sits back up. "Amanda, I'm so sorry. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know it was this bad. And I wanted to talk to you but I didn't want to be in your business and I was trying to trust that you could handle it, like we talked about before. Now I feel stupid for not reaching out to you when you needed me."

"Dad, don't blame yourself. It's my fault for thinking I could solve this all on my own. That day we went on the picnic was a huge breaking point, but I was trying to take your advice and just leave it like you told me to. But I couldn't. I should've figured that the others would turn out to be asses but Emma R.? She's been there since like, forever and I can't believe she'd stab me in the back like that. I'm not even mad about the Noah thing, just that she lied to me about it for so long. And this whole time, I've been trying to figure out when everyone decided that I'm not cool." I don't want to chalk everything up to nature but I feel like that's a huge part of it. Everyone in my friend circle was either a beta or an omega and I was the only alpha. I didn't think that would matter but it changed my whole relationship with my friends. "As pissed as I am, there were just...so many good times and I..." I kinda miss them even though I shouldn't. "And that concludes part of what's going on with me."

"A part?" He jumps from sad to concerned in an instant. "What else has been going on?"

"Nothing has really been happening per say, but it's more of some personal things. Mind if we take a little break so I can re-fuel with brownies and something to drink?"

He doesn't answer me verbally, only nods. I think I bummed him out because he pulls his knees up on the couch with his arms wrapped around them. And now I feel bad for not telling him any of this earlier. 

"You...want me to re-fill you on brownies while I'm out?"

"Yeah..."

I head to the kitchen and take just a little longer than necessary re-filling, not really knowing what mood my dad is in right now. I think he needs a moment to decompress or take all the information in, I'm not sure which. I do know he just needs a minute alone before I go into the more recent stuff.

I should've talked to him about this little by little instead of only giving him little tidbits, but I really thought I could handle it alone. Now I see that I shouldn't have even tried to do it alone in the first place.

When I get back, Dad looks a little more composed, but he stills looks sad. Is it because I didn't say anything to him or something else? "I'm back. I didn't know what you wanted to drink, so I grabbed us both water. And the corner pieces are mine because I like the borders."

"Thanks Amanda. So, what else did you want to talk about?"

"This one is...a little more than the stupid high school stuff, let's get serious. College."

"Yeah, we do need to get your things packed up soon. Can't wait until the last minute with this."

"Okay but...college is...it's just coming so fast and..." Time to once again be genuine about my feelings. "Dad, I'm not sure I'm ready for it."

"What do you mean Amanda? I thought you were excited."

"I am but I...it's just not that easy. I was scared at first for being away from you, but it's not only that. It's college!" The time where everyone learns new things and meets new people and makes new connections and have mental breakdowns. I'm gonna have to get along with a bunch of new people, and after my most recent disaster, I obviously am not good at that. Like, at all. And-"

"Hey, your asshole ex-friends don't define your relationships with other people.  _They_ were the problem."

"I know, but I'm still afraid of that. I haven't really interacted with other people outside of my friend circle; how am I supposed to make new friends when I'm not used to interacting with people my age? Everyone started avoiding me after a while so I'm not too well-versed in social skills anymore." The only people I talk to that are at least somewhere around my age are Lucien and Ernest, but other than that, how am I supposed to make friends or get along with my roommates when I don't know how to interact. I don't want to be that weird roommate who doesn't talk much but I haven't interacted with too many people to know how to make friends and function. I got on Dad about that and I can't even do it. Must be a genetic thing. "I don't want my roommates to make me an outcast after they meet me, but I had one big circle of friends that I didn't stray from. When I had group projects sure, but I didn't really talk much to those people afterwards.

"Well, didn't you complete the dorm room compatibility form the college sent you? Because they match you up with people you're compatible with, maybe even give you their numbers. Nothing is stopping you from reaching out if you can and testing the waters. And who knows? Maybe you'll find you like these people."

I don't know ho Dad can be such an optimist. I wish I inherited some of his optimism instead of this...whatever I got. "I guess. I mean, we have a group chat together and we're discussing how we're gonna set up the lounge. But we haven't spoken outside of that."

"Then maybe you should reach out. Give them a chance. Talk with them. Find out if you guys have anything in common other than majors. Heck, Craig and I got along talking about how much we hated how strict our parents could be, which-" he nudges me playfully. "-don't bond over that since I'm cool-"

"Debatable."

"But you guys can find something to talk about. And if you can't, you can either switch roommates before you actually move in or try to live comfortably with one another and take it from there." He hands me another brownie, not a border one sadly, but a nicely sized one. "Bond over food. Everyone likes food."

I guess he's right. I haven't even tried to talk to them other than the whole room set-up thing, but maybe I can try? And I can always change out roommates if I don't think I'll like them; the college did say they want to accommodate every student hen it came to classes and rooms. I'm not expecting a problem, and I don't know why I was, so I could reach out, right?

"What should I say? Not sure you can start a conversation with "what's your favorite food?" That sounds weird."

"No, just start with the person you know you're sharing a room with and ask to chat for a minute and start from there. Ask about movies, music, whatever happens on the internet that interests the two of you; just try to talk to them and get along."

What is it about parents that give them the ability to always say the right thing? Is it some secret parent power? "I could try that. Thanks Dad."

"Anytime sweetie."

* * *

As it turns out, my roommate sounds cool already.

Their name is Jordan and like me, they're freaking out about going to college and leaving their family. Only difference is that they come from a huge family and they're the baby of the family. They're an art major like me, but they're into graphic design. And, which is a huge bonus, they are a fan of Long Haul Paranormal Ice Road Truckers! And, they were nervous about being new roommates with a stranger and hadn't said much beyond the group chat because they were scared, like I was.

It looks like Dad was right. Talking to him eased so many fears, I'm surprised I didn't try to talk with him earlier. 

I was worried about going to college and probably will be for a while, but I can't be nervous the whole time and not take chances. Of course there's gonna be stuff I have to learn along the way and of course college is gonna scare me at first. That doesn't mean I won't be able to do it. I just have to learn as I go. Sure I had some bad experiences, but those won't dictate my college life; I'll make it my own. 

College doesn't seem so scary anymore. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided it would be good to have a little Amanda-esque stuff every now and then. Also partially inspired by my own fears when I started thinking about college.
> 
> Sorry for being gone for so long but we're actually moving soon! Things are at a bit of a slow-down right now with all the packing and stuff, but pretty soon, I'll have my schedule back on track.
> 
> As always, come to my tumblr if you have questions or just want to stop by!


	12. Reflections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I've been struggling with a couple of things for the past few months and I think it's time I seriously sat down and considered all my options. There is a lot of things I've left unresolved and that needs to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it's time for Danny to sit down and self-reflect, and also to provide a little more insight into what he thinks about and what his life is going to be like.

The further I get in my pregnancy, the more questions I have that I haven't found the answers to. I constantly bring them up hoping that the answer could just be given to me but it isn't that easy. I don't know why it took so long for me to realize that these are questions I can only answer myself. Waiting for someone else to answer them for me will only confuse me; I  need to sort out what exactly it is I want and why I haven't answered these questions.

I think the biggest question I need to answer concerns my love life. Or, what I believe to be my love life. Ever since we moved to Maple Bay, I didn't really see myself having...well, a love life in general. I was always hesitant to date and only had two boyfriends in my life: Craig back in college (I'm not even sure I could call him my boyfriend since we only had sex) and Alex. After both of those relationships ended, I got approached all the time but I never pursued anyone. During my college days, part of it was me convinced my nature would only bring me trouble, and another part were the goals I had and the fact that I did't _want_ someone in my life distracting me from my goals. That ended up falling through when I met Alex but I saw a life with him and I didn't need to think about dating for a while. We dated, got married, had a family and dating became nonexistent because I had a good husband. Then he died and I was suddenly without him and dating was the last thing in my mind. For a long time, it was because I had just lost my husband and didn't want to just jump into a relationship afterward; there was a long grieving process before I was ready to face the world again. And because of the impact he had on me, that grieving process took a long time. By the time I thought I was confidently finished grieving, my dating experience was non-existent.

I didn't think I would find a partner after being out of the game for so long. It didn't help that I had issues with my nature as an omega and a string of self-esteem issues that prevented me from seeing myself as someone that people would actually  _want_ to date (and it's something I still have to work on) and I was having a crisis because my teenager daughter was basically an adult and leaving me so there was a lot I was thinking about when we moved. Coming to Maple Bay was a change of scenery and that was supposed to be it. Boyfriends were not on the list.

Now I basically have six boyfriends and it's overwhelming at times.

It's...difficult to explain what it's like having six different people showering you with affection while simultaneously fighting for your affection. I could barely handle being with one person, but now that I'm with six, it still freaks me out. I'm grateful to them and I really care about them; they didn't do anything to make me feel this way, but because of how I am with dating in general, the whole situation blindsided me.

What made is worse was that I just  _accepted_ that it was my life without realizing it. It didn't dawn on me until I was about four months into the pregnancy that I was dating these different men; after I told them all, they all kinda just integrated themselves into my life and I didn't question it at all. All of my daily routines had changed and I was now including them in without thinking about it. It took months of them being with me to even realize what was happening and that's when it got to be too much. I got attached without realizing it and I'm in too deep now. 

I'm just...I always think about what my life would be like without them, and I always think about how heartbreaking it's going to be when I have to tell them the truth. Because if I'm being honest...I could find out the baby's parentage whenever I want to, but I keep putting it off or saying the doctor doesn’t know because I don't want to tell them and speed up this heartbreak process. I know they have a right to know and I know I put so much emphasis on finding out but I know what's going to happen when the time comes and I don't want it to. I’ve had my heart broken before and it nearly destroyed me, and I don’t want to go through that again.

I didn't think it was possible to care about so many different people this way. I've heard of packs, of big collections of alphas and betas and omegas who all live together and love one another but that always seemed too far-fetched; I didn't think it was possible to have that many mates at once. Now it's my reality and it isn't the easiest to deal with. I hear it all the time that I should be grateful and I must love the attention and all, and while I usually agree with that, it's still overwhelming. Because I feel really selfish when I think about how I basically monopolize their time. They keep telling me they just want me to be safe but I can't help but think that they're all just in it for the baby. I feel like I'm just carrying it and they're only treating me right so nothing goes wrong and the baby is born healthy. 

But on the other hand, there's the... _romance_.

There's a lot of...kissing and cuddling and hand holding and all that stuff that couples do that goes on and it can’t be called “friendly”. The cuddling is partially my fault as my pregnancy has made me emotionally vulnerable and I crave that kind of contact. But the other stuff? I don't know where it came from nor when it started but it did and it once again  _blindsided_ me. I find myself turning my head for kisses or instinctively grabbing a hand when we go out. I feel bad in the mornings when I don't see them off for work or if I don't see them in the evenings and I don't remember when that started either. There was no talk about a relationship between anyone either; all of this just  _happened_ and its a part of my daily routine. 

It shouldn't be so bad because I should know by now that they care about me, beyond the fact that I'm carrying a baby, and they constantly show it. There was the fact that they all got super jealous when Adrian came into the picture, or how terrified they all were when Max assaulted me. And they're always so affectionate and considerate around me and help me take care of the house and Amanda. It's like I see their gestures and I their actions which speak loud enough...

...But then there's still that small little part of me that will  _not_ stop telling me that I'm just their carrier. And there's another part that's screaming at me to choose one of them now before I fuck everything up. And I can't deal with either of either of those parts when they keep drilling these thoughts into my head. Every time one of my alphas does something, I feel happy, but I have to keep telling myself they're not going to leave me hanging because I know the doubts are going to start to creep in and put a damper on my mood.

Love is hard and complicated and confusing and I don't like thinking about my love life but it's unavoidable. I'm leading these men on and they don't deserve it. They have lives outside of me that they're putting on hold when they  _know_ there's heartbreak down the line and that's what makes me so conflicted about this. I had considered  _not_ telling them I was pregnant, but Amanda urged me to do it and I knew I had to but there was so much doubt about whether that was the right decision and those doubts are still around. And escaping from those doubts isn't as easy as I thought it'd be. I can deal with them now because I have a support system, but I just don't have much experience with relationships or any of this to know what to do, and I feel like I'm doing it wrong. I don't want to hurt them and any choice I make, breaking it off with them now or down the line, everyone is going to get hurt.

I don't... _want_ that. I don't want anyone to get hurt and I don't want them to leave me. I want them. I want all of them. I know I feel overwhelmed having six "boyfriends" and it is, but I do want them in my life. As boyfriends. Or, whatever they want to call what we end up as. I don't care! I just don't want to be alone anymore.

* * *

 

There's some other stuff I need to deal with. Other loose ends I haven't tied up.

Like...Joseph.

I don't know what else to call him other than a mistake. I knew answering his text that day was a mistake and I still kick myself for answering because I could've saved myself so much trouble. I barely know anything about him and I don't want to know anything about him anymore after what he did. Not only that, but its partially because of him that I have so many doubts running around in my mind. I slept with a married man who lives right across the street. I can't say it was fully his fault either; I was aware of where I was and what I was doing and who I was with, but I let hormones take over and just... _let him_ do what he wanted to me. I didn't fight as much as I should've have and I hate myself for it because I knew what was going on. But I also can't ignore the fact that he took advantage of me that day instead of leaving me alone.

If I have this baby and he isn't the father, than I don't want him near me. If he is the father, than fine, he can see the baby. But  _only_ on the weekends or unless I decide otherwise. I don't know what kind of parent he is and I don't care. His kids could be the perfect little angels and I wouldn't care. That encounter proved that I can't trust him. I thought I was just being paranoid at first, but I'm sure now. He would've been a nice guy if not for all the shitty things he did. I'd give him the same chance I'm giving the others. But he doesn't deserve it and he doesn't deserve to see my baby for long periods of time.

It's not just him though; I also have to think about Mary. I feel like such a shitty person by just  _not_ telling her. It's her husband after all and it's obvious that he isn't going to tell her. I don’t know her very well, but that doesn’t mean she can’t learn the truth. I know she’ll be mad, probably hate me or never want to speak to me again and as much as that hurts, I deserve it. The last thing I ever wanted to do was interfere with anyone's marriage and now look at the situation I'm in,

I stress out worrying about what they'll do or when those confrontations will happen. I already had one with Joseph but I didn't get to really say what I wanted to. I want to end everything with him soon before it spirals out of control. I know I gave him a time limit to talk to Mary, but I regret it. It probably just gave him more time to think of a way to twist the story and make it my fault. I need to tell Mary the truth because it's killing me holding it in. No more holding off; everything is going to come out.

* * *

 

The next question concerns family. I don’t have my family in my life, save for Amanda. I keep in touch with Alex’s family, but not my own. Alex's family is up to date on just about everything, while my own family has no clue about...well, anything. It’s as messed up as it sounds; Alex's family was just a lot more welcoming and still see me as family even after Alex's death. I didn't want to separate Amanda from Alex's side of the family and they still keep in touch with me after all these years. They know that I'm pregnant and that Amanda graduated and my family still doesn’t know any of that. The last thing I ever told my family was that I recently had Amanda and they saw pictures of her as a baby. I don’t even think they know I moved to Maple Bay. That’s how much I don’t talk to them.

But, much as I may not like them, they  _are_ family, and not all of them are bad. It’s just a few bad apples in there that make me not want to see them. The family I imagine in my head isn’t the family I have. They’re so negative and toxic and all of that rubbed off on me and made me so insecure growing up. But I haven’t confronted them about anything they’ve done to me in all that time. All I did was run away from it. In the beginning I was convinced it was because I was weak and what they were saying was true, but that was because they forced those beliefs on me. I still feel all of that negativity they pushed on me today and I've never done anything about it.

That stops now. I need to confront them about everything they've done and said to me if I want to move on. I'm so insecure and scared about everything because they made me feel that way. I never spoke my mind, only rebelled once by getting tattoos and I got called out for that too. I have too much to say that I never said and issues I need to talk about. There are also people I want to re-connect with if anything and maybe help Amanda get in touch with our other family members.

* * *

 

I need to make things right if I'm going to raise this baby properly. There is a lot of tension and stress in my life that I don't need and if I want to keep that down, I need to start making amends. That means confronting my family, confronting Joseph, finally telling Mary the truth, and telling my alphas how I feel. It's going to be tough and I know I’m going to struggle with some of it, but once I do it, I think things will get better. I've put this off for too long and I need to confront it. I can’t raise a baby with all of this on my plate. Changes need to be made and I'll be damned if I don't start making them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was cathartic to write. I didn't mean to be gone for so long and come back with such a short chapter, but I had some issues to deal with and I'm finally back in the swing of things.

**Author's Note:**

> FOR SOME REASON I AM JUST FINDING OUT THAT THERE ARE DEATH ENDINGS IN DREAM DADDY AND LIKE...WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!?!?!?! I WAS LOOKING FOR THE DIALOGUE AND I HAPPENED TO SEE 'DEATH ENDING' POP UP AND I'M JUST...I'M SO SHOOK RIGHT NOW! I KNOW THERE'S A CULT ENDING BUT THREE, LITERALLY THREE DIFFERENT DEATH ENDINGS?!  
> The coffee shop scene with Robert and Matt was actually the first thing I wrote when I was putting together this story. I don't know why that scene hit me, but it was just perfect and I wrote it down in the notes on my phone so that I wouldn't forget it. I thought it was beautiful (what I actually wrote was much better but I never seem to write the same scenes I have in my head. That happen to anyone else?), I just didn't have the rest of the scenario for it to go with. The rest of the chapter followed very slowly after that scene. And yes, it was intentional to leave out the pokedaughter battle. Sorry . It's a fun mechanic, but I had to leave it out.
> 
> This was going to be a very smutty story at first, but the coffee shop scene came to me and I knew I had to make this an actual story. Which I need to stop doing because I have other things to finish. But alas. I can't help it.


End file.
